Into the Forest and Into the Wild
by SilverMoon2015
Summary: Slightly AU. What if Rusty/Firepaw/heart/star had a sister other than Princess? What if she went to the forest and joined ThunderClan before him as a kit? Follow Flamepaw as she goes into the forest and into the wild. No flames! R&R (Hiatus)
1. Prologue & Allegiances

**~Prologue~**

A small young kit was walking through the forest. Suddenly there was a loud snapping noise and the kit froze in fear. The kit looked around with large green eyes and suddenly an owl swoops out of no where towards it. The kit let out a terrified wail and ran deep into the undergrowth. Unfortunately, the large bird had its talons in the kit's back and was about to carry it off when three cats ran out from the undergrowth. They ran towards the owl, letting out screeches of rage and made it loosen its grip on the kit. The kit fell to the ground in agony already unconscious from the ordeal. The cats were quick to scare off the owl and were now looking at the small almost undersized orange and white tabby she-kit.

"What should we do with it, Tigerclaw?" a small dusky brown she-cat meowed sniffing the unconscious kit curiously. The big dark tabby looked at the kit with uncertainty for a moment before answering.

"We will bring the kit back to camp and let Bluestar decide what to do with it," he replied before walking forward and picking the she-kit up by her scruff. With a flick of his tail to the other two he ran off into the forest.

They had ran swiftly through the forest and soon came to a ravine and Tigerclaw was careful in not jostling the kit he was holding, so as to not make it's wounds worse or cause pain. He soon landed at the bottom and shouldered his way through the tunnel that led into camp. As he walked into the clearing, an old gray she-cat approached him, her blue eyes glowing in the moonlight.

"Tigerclaw, what is the meaning of this?" she meowed, looking down at the young kit for a moment before meeting his gaze once more.

Tigerclaw then carefully settled the kit down between his paws and looked up at her calmly. "This kit would have been killed if I and my patrol hadn't came at the moment that we did, Bluestar," he replied as the young kit stirred and sat up blinking large green eyes up at the gray she-cat.

"Who are you?" Bluestar meowed gently, as she looked down at the orange and white tabby she-kit.

"My mother named me, Ginger," the kit squeaked.

"Where do you come from?" the old gray she-cat asked.

"Twolegplace," Ginger mewed.

"Do you live with Twolegs?" the she-cat demanded sharply and the kit shook her head, "Not any more. I ran away days ago." Bluestar stared at her in amazement before continuing.

"Would you like to stay here?" the old cat asked and Tigerclaw's head snapped up to attention automatically.

"Bluestar, you can't be serious," he snapped, "She's a kittypet."

"Quiet, Tigerclaw." Bluestar hissed sharply and glared at him as the young kit crouched down and covered her face with her paws.

Bluestar looked down then and her gaze softened again, "There's no need to be afraid, Ginger." She watched then as the kit looked up at her through her paws.

"But I'm not a kittypet," she wailed, "I ran away because my Twolegs were mean to me. They kicked me and threw me around and starved me." The kit once more hid behind her paws and Tigerclaw was looking down at her in surprise and anger.

"In other words they hurt you," he stated struggling to keep his voice from becoming a growl and Ginger nodded.

"Let me ask you again. Do you want to stay?" Bluestar meowed.

"Yes. I don't want to go back," the orange and white tabby she-kit whimpered shaking slightly.

"Then you will now be named Flamekit. All right?" the old gray she-cat replied and the young kit nodded meekly.

"Tigerclaw? I want you to take her to the nursery and give her to Brindleface and tell her to take care of her," Bluestar ordered.

"Yes, Bluestar."

* * *

 **THUNDERCLAN **

**Leader:** Bluestar = old blue-gray she-cat with silver tinged around her muzzle

 **Deputy:** Redtail = small tortoiseshell tom with a distinctive ginger tail

 **Apprentice, Dustpaw**

 **Medicine Cat:** Spottedleaf = beautiful dark tortoiseshell she-cat with a distinctive dappled coat and amber eyes

 **Apprentice, Flamepaw**

 **Warriors:**

Lionheart = magnificent golden tabby tom with thick fur like a lion's mane

 **Apprentice, Graypaw**

Tigerclaw = big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws and fierce yellow eyes

 **Apprentice, Ravenpaw**

Whitestorm = big white tom with blue eyes

 **Apprentice, Sandpaw**

Willowpelt = very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes

Runningwing = lean brown tabby tom

Mousefur = small dusky brown she-cat

Darkstripe = sleek black-and-gray tabby tom

Longtail = pale tabby tom with dark black stripes

 **Apprentices:**

Dustpaw = dark brown tabby tom

Graypaw = long-haired solid gray tom

Ravenpaw = small, skinny black tom with a tiny white dash on his chest and white-tipped tail

Sandpaw = pale ginger she-cat

Flamepaw = orange tabby she-cat with white patches, darker orange stripes and green eyes

Firepaw = handsome ginger tom

 **Queens:**

Frostfur = beautiful white coat and blue eyes

Brindleface = pretty tabby

Goldenflower = pale ginger coat

Speckletail = pale tabby; oldest nursery queen

 **Elders:**

Halftail = big dark brown tabby tom with half his tail missing

Smallear = gray tom with very small ears, oldest tom in ThunderClan

Patchpelt = small black-and-white tom

Rosetail = light ginger she-cat with a pinky-orange tail

One-Eye = pale gray she-cat, oldest cat in ThunderClan. Virtually blind and deaf

Dappletail = once-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: I've had written this story a while ago and it's been sitting in my Google Docs forgotten until now, so here it is. No flames please, and I am fully aware that it's basically like Into the Wild but instead of Firepaw/heart's view it is in his sister's instead. The story is pretty much the same, but with some minor changes here and there since it's not in Firepaw/heart's point of view. So please R &R and let me know what you think.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, only my OC and the minor plot differences that I put in.**

* * *

 **~Chapter One~**

"Come on Flamekit catch it," Sandkit yowled as she tossed a mossball up high in the air. Flamekit looked up and launched herself into the air and caught the mossball in her jaws. She then fell gracefully back onto the ground.

"Nice catch Flamekit," Graykit meowed, his eyes wide with admiration and the other kits nodded in agreement.

Flamekit had been in Thunderclan for six moons now and she was already looking forward to becoming an apprentice. She knew it was going to be any day now and was hoping that she'd be able to be a medicine cat apprentice. Suddenly she saw Bluestar walk out from behind the lichen curtain that covered her den entrance and leap up onto the Highrock.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting," the ThunderClan leader yowled, her voice ringing loud and clear through the clearing.

Flamekit looked over at the others with excitement and started to walk forward with the others close behind her, quickly ending their game. They soon took their places beside the Highrock as Bluestar started to speak.

"Cats of ThunderClan," Bluestar began, "we are here for one of the most important ceremonies in the life of any Clan, the making of new apprentices. Dustkit, Sandkit, Flamekit and Graykit have reached their sixth moon, and it is time to begin their training." The ThunderClan leader then flicked her tail towards Dustkit, urging him forward.

"From this moment on until he has received his warrior name, he shall be known as Dustpaw. Your mentor will be Redtail," the deputy now walked forward to stand by his new apprentice, "Redtail, you are ready for another apprentice and I hope you pass on everything you know to Dustpaw." He then leaned towards him and touched noses with him before leading the new apprentice away, as Bluestar turned to Sandkit.

"Sandpaw, your mentor will be Whitestorm," the snow-white warrior then walked forward to stand by the new apprentice, "Whitestorm, you are a wise warrior and you have a lot of experience. I hope you pass on everything you know onto young Sandpaw." Whitestorm nodded then before touching noses with the new apprentice and led her away, now Bluestar turned to Graykit.

"From this moment on until he has received his warrior name, he shall be known as Graypaw. Your mentor will be Lionheart," the golden warrior stepped forward then, "Lionheart, you have shown yourself to be wise and highly intelligent, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Graypaw." He nodded and touched noses with the eager apprentice before leading him over to the other new apprentices and mentors.

Bluestar now flicked her tail over to Spottedleaf, the ThunderClan medicine cat, who walked forward to stand at the base of the Highrock before turning to face the rest of the Clan and started to speak.

"Cats of ThunderClan, as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown great compassion and wisdom beyond their years. Your new medicine cat will be Flamepaw." She announced clearly, her eyes flicking over to the young she-cat before turning to Bluestar.

"Flamepaw, do you accept the post of apprentice to Spottedleaf?" she meowed looking down at her.

"I do," Flamepaw replied bowing her head towards her leader.

"Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moonstone to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats," Spottedleaf mewed to her and Flamepaw nodded.

"The good wishes of ThunderClan will go with you," Bluestar replied, her voice ringing around the clearing.

Flamepaw then stood up and walked over to her mentor and touched noses with her, happy to finally start training to be a medicine cat.

* * *

It had been two moons now since she became a medicine cat apprentice and Flamepaw had found that she quite enjoyed it. She liked being able to help her clanmates and was proud to be their next medicine cat. Right now, Flamepaw was grooming herself near the entrance to the medicine den.

She was almost finished when Lionheart suddenly pushed his way through the gorse tunnel with a handsome ginger tom behind him with Whitestorm appearing right behind them. Flamepaw immediately froze and gaped at the kittypet in shock before snapping her jaws shut. It was her brother. Rusty.

She watched then as her brother turned back to Lionheart to ask a question. She quickly started to approach them and heard Whitestorm speaking, "Clan cats always spend time grooming each other and sharing the news of the day," he told him. "We call it sharing tongues. It is a custom that binds the members of the Clan together."

Flamepaw was soon standing right in front of them and bowed her head in respect to the senior warriors. "Lionheart. Whitestorm."

The two warriors nodded towards her and Lionheart turned to Rusty, "This is Flamepaw. She's the medicine cat apprentice." She turned her head to look at her brother then.

"Hello Rusty," she meowed and saw him staring at her in shock and amazement.

"Ginger? I mean Flamepaw?" he spluttered.

"It's me," she purred and touched her nose with his in greeting.

"How did you end up here?" he asked in confusion.

"I'll tell you later," Flamepaw promised. She then turned to Lionheart and Whitestorm, "You can return to the tour," she mewed and they nodded.

"Over there," meowed Lionheart, flicking his tail towards a familiar impenetrable-looking tangle of brambles, "is the nursery where the kits are cared for." Flamepaw watched then as her brother swiveled his ears towards the bushes and she turned her gaze back to the nursery to see Goldenflower, one of the queens, squirm out.

Then Brindleface appeared and the two she-cats exchanged a friendly lick between the ears before slipping inside the nursery.

"The care of are kits is shared by all of the queens," meowed Lionheart. "All cats serve the Clan. Loyalty to the Clan is the first law in our warrior code, a lesson you must learn quickly if you wish to stay with us."

"Here comes Bluestar," meowed Whitestorm, sniffing the air.

Flamepaw turned her head then as Bluestar appeared from the shadow of the Highrock and saw from the corner of her eye that her brother had sniffed the air and looked pleased with himself before Bluestar had even appeared.

"He came," Bluestar purred, addressing the warriors.

"Whitestorm replied, "Lionheart was convinced he would not."

Flamepaw rolled her eyes at this and saw Bluestar's tail tip twitch impatiently. "Well, what do you think of him?" she asked.

"He kept up well on the return journey, despite his puny size," Whitestorm admitted. "He certainly seems strong for a kittypet."

"So it is agreed?" Bluestar looked at Lionheart and Whitestorm.

Both cats nodded.

"Then I shall announce his arrival to the Clan." Bluestar leaped up onto the Highrock and yowled, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting."

Flamepaw looked at her brother then for a moment and meowed, "We'll talk afterward. Okay Rusty?" She looked at him and he nodded and she quickly walked forward to find a seat, as her clanmates started to take their seats and look expectantly up at the ThunderClan leader.

"Hey Flamepaw come sit with me," Longtail called and she quickly took the space beside him and sat down as Bluestar started to speak.

When everyone was still, Bluestar spoke. "ThunderClan needs more warriors," she began. "Never before have we had so few apprentices in training. It has been decided that ThunderClan will take in an outsider to train as a warrior…."

Indignant mutterings erupted amongst her fellow clanmates, but Bluestar silenced them with a firm yowl. "I have found a cat who is willing to become an apprentice of ThunderClan."

" _Lucky_ to become an apprentice," Longtail caterwauled and was standing up and glaring defiantly at their leader.

"Great StarClan Longtail sit down," she hissed in his ear.

Bluestar simply ignored him and addressed the Clan once more. "Lionheart and Whitestorm have met this young cat, and they agree with me that we should train him with the other apprentices."

Flamepaw now looked behind her at Rusty amongst the rest of her clanmates. There was a moment of silence and she found that she could smell his fear scent.

Now there was a deafening crescendo of caterwauling throughout the Clan.

"Where does he come from?"

"Which Clan does he belong to?"

"What a strange scent he carries! That's not the scent of any Clan I know!"

Suddenly Longtail's yowl sounded above the others. "Look at his collar! He's a kittypet!" She turned her gaze over to him then. "Once a kittypet, always a kittypet. This Clan needs wildborn warriors to defend it, not another soft mouth to feed."

"Longtail! Enough!" she snapped out angrily, her fur bristling. Of course knowing Longtail he didn't know when to quit.

"Your collar is the mark of the Twolegs, and that jingling will make you a poor hunter at best. At worst, it will bring the Twolegs into our territory, looking for the poor lost kittypet who fills the woods with his pitiful tinkling."

The entire Clan howled in agreement, but Flamepaw remained silent her fur bristling with contained rage at how they were treating her brother.

Longtail went on, "The noise of your treacherous bell will alert our enemies, even if your Twoleg _stench_ doesn't!"

Flamepaw turned her gaze onto her brother then. Rusty flattened his ears, narrowed his eyes and, hissing, leaped through her startled clanmates to fling himself onto Longtail. The moment he did she was quick to leap away, knowing what was coming next.

Longtail was completely unprepared for her brother's attack. He staggered sideways and lost his footing. She watched with terror then as, Rusty dug his claws deep into the young warrior's tabby fur and sank in his teeth. The two of them were locked in a screaming, writhing tussle that flipped and somersaulted around the clearing at the heart of the camp. Everyone had to spring out of the way to avoid the screeching whirlwind of fur.

Flamepaw watched silently, fearing for her brother, as her clanmates wailed with excitement. Then Longtail took Rusty's collar in between his teeth and was tugging and she could tell that he was tugging hard. She stared in horror then as her brother struggled and she could see from his movements that he was panicking. He writhed and twisted, and Flamepaw could see that by struggling that it was making his collar tighten even more around his throat. She watched then as he was retching and gulping for air and trying to pull away from Longtail's grip. Suddenly, she heard a loud snap and then her brother was free.

She watched then as Longtail tumbled away from him and Rusty scrambled to his paws, looking around. Flamepaw looked at Longtail then and saw that he was crouching three tail-lengths away with her brother's collar, now mangled and broken, dangling from his jaws.

At once, Bluestar leaped down from the Highrock and let out a thunderous caterwaul, which automatically silenced the Clan. She turned back to the two toms then and saw that they remained fixed to the spot, gasping for breath. She could see clumps of fur hanging from their ruffled coats. Flamepaw was quick to look at Rusty and saw a cut above his eye before turning to Longtail and saw that his ear was badly torn. She could see blood dripping down his lean shoulders onto the dusty ground. She could see it in their eyes as they stared at each other, that their hostility was not yet spent.

Bluestar stepped forward then and took the collar from Longtail. She placed it on the ground in front of her and meowed, "The newcomer has lost his Twoleg collar in a battle for his honor. Starclan has spoken its approval—this cat has been released from the hold of its Twoleg owners, and is free to join Thunderclan as an apprentice."

Flamepaw turned to look at Rusty then as he solemnly nodded his acceptance. She watched then as he stood up and stepped forward into a shaft of sunlight. The pool of light blazed bright on his orange pelt, making his fur glow. She stared at him then in utter amazement for his coat now looked like a brand of fire as he stood there. Suddenly her eyes glazed over and she saw her brother, now standing full grown on top of the Highrock in the sunlight with his fiery pelt glowing. His eyes were also glowing with green fire and she suddenly heard a voice speaking to her in a soft voice that she recognized as Bluestar's. "Fire alone can save the Clan… You will be a great leader. One of the greatest the forest has ever known. You will have the warmth of fire to protect your Clan and the fierceness of fire to defend it. You will be Firestar, the light of ThunderClan."

Then as quickly as the vision came it was gone. Flamepaw shook her head from side to side, trying to rid of herself of what she saw. She caught sight of Rusty then who had lifted his head proudly and looked at the cats that surrounded him. She was relieved when no one argued or jeered this time. At this moment, she knew he had proven himself to be a worthy opponent in battle.

Flamepaw watched silently then as Bluestar approached her brother and placed the shredded collar on the ground in front of him. She touched his ear gently with her nose and Flamepaw was close enough to listen. "You look like a brand of fire in this sunlight," she murmured. She saw her leader's eyes flash briefly and Flamepaw knew she was remembering the prophecy that her mentor, Spottedleaf, had a couple of moons ago. "You have fought well." Then she turned to the Clan and announced, "From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Firepaw, in honor of his flame-colored coat."

She stepped back and, with the others waited silently for his next move. Flamepaw watched then as her brother, without hesitating, turned and kicked dust and grass over his collar as if burying his dirt.

She looked over at Longtail then as he growled and limped over to her. She stepped forward then and sniffed his pelt thoroughly to make sure there wasn't any other serious injuries, before jerking her head towards him to follow her, she led him out of the clearing towards the medicine den. From the corner of her eye she saw the Clan split into groups, murmuring to each other excitedly.

She led the way inside then and turned to Spottedleaf. "Spottedleaf? Longtail here needs something for his wounds," she mewed carefully as her mentor looked up from sorting out herbs.

"Alright," she replied before turning to Longtail. "Where are you hurt?"

"My ear," Longtail muttered and the medicine cat nodded before turning back to her with gleaming amber eyes.

"Flamepaw what do we use to stop bleeding?" she prompted.

"Cobwebs," she meowed and Spottedleaf nodded.

"Right," the medicine cat purred. "What about infection?"

Flamepaw immediately lifted her head proudly, "Marigold."

Spottedleaf nodded, "Well done. Now go get them," she commanded.

Flamepaw then quickly ran over to the herb store and carefully wrapped some cobwebs around her paw before grabbing a leaf wrap filled with marigold. She then turned and padded back over to Longtail and Spottedleaf. "Here they are, Spottedleaf," she murmured and sat down the leaf wrap at her mentor's paws and held out her paw with the cobwebs attached to it.

Spottedleaf shook her head, "No Flamepaw _I'm_ not treating him," she replied in amusement, " _you_ are."

Flamepaw stared at the medicine cat in surprise before nodding slowly and taking her place beside Longtail. "This might sting a little bit," she meowed and carefully wrapped the cobwebs around his ear and the bleeding stopped almost immediately. The young warrior winced slightly but didn't say anything. She now bent forward and started to chew the marigold leaves into a poultice before spitting it out onto her paw and gently rubbed it into his injured torn ear.

"That should do it," she replied, "make sure you come back tomorrow so we can change the dressing and make sure infection doesn't set in."

The warrior nodded and soon turned and walked out of the medicine den. Before she could ask Spottedleaf if she did okay, she heard a warning yowl and recognized it coming from Smallear. Flamepaw then quickly ran out of the medicine den and appeared at the fern tunnel and looked out curiously.

She looked around and saw Ravenpaw crash through the bushes and into the camp. She heard Graypaw gasp, "That's Ravenpaw! Why is he alone? Where's Tigerclaw?"

Flamepaw looked at the young cat who was staggering across the clearing. He was panting heavily. His coat was ruffled and dusty, and his eyes were wild with fear. She quickly ran over to her brother and Graypaw as Firepaw turned to Graypaw and whispered, "Who are Ravenpaw and Tigerclaw?" as several other cats ran to greet the skinny black apprentice.

"Ravenpaw's an apprentice. Tigerclaw's his mentor," Graypaw explained quickly. "Ravenpaw went out with Tigerclaw and Redtail at sunrise on a mission against Riverclan, the lucky furball!"

"Redtail?" Firepaw echoed and Flamepaw could tell he was getting confused.

"Bluestar's deputy," hissed Graypaw. "But why on earth has Ravenpaw come back alone?" he added to himself. She turned to listen then as Bluestar stepped forward.

"Ravenpaw?" The she-cat spoke calmly, but a look of worry clouded her blue eyes. The rest of her clanmates drew back, curling their lips with anxiety.

"What happened?" Bluestar jumped onto the Highrock and looked down at the trembling cat. "Speak Ravenpaw!"

Flamepaw turned back to the small apprentice and saw that he was still struggling for breath, and his sides heaved fitfully while the dust around him turned red with blood, but still he managed to scramble up onto the Highrock and stand beside Bluestar. He turned to the crowd of eager faces that surrounded him, and summoned enough breath to declare, "Redtail is dead!"


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, only Flamepaw (OC) and the minor plot differences.**

* * *

 **~Chapter Two~**

Shocked yowls rose from her clanmates and echoed through the forest. Flamepaw stood there, terror gripping her as she let out a wail, her entire body trembling.

Ravenpaw staggered slightly. His right foreleg glistened, wet with blood that flowed from the deep gash in his shoulder. "We m-met five RiverClan warriors beside the stream, not far from the Sunningrocks," he went on shakily. "Oakheart was among them."

"Oakheart!" gasped Graypaw who was beside Firepaw. "He is the deputy of RiverClan. He's one of the greatest warriors in the forest. Lucky Ravenpaw! Wish it would have been me. I'd have really—" Graypaw was silenced from Smallear who gave him a fierce glance.

"Redtail warned Oakheart to keep his hunting parties out of ThunderClan territory. He said the next RiverClan warrior to be caught in ThunderClan territory would be killed, but Oak…Oakheart would not back down. He said his Cl-Clan had to be fed, whatever we threatened." Ravenpaw paused to wheeze for breath. His wound was still bleeding heavily, and he stood awkwardly to keep the weight off his shoulder.

"That's when the Riverclan cats attacked. It was hard to see what was happening. The fighting was vicious. I saw Oakheart had Redtail pinned to the ground, but then Redtail…" Suddenly Ravenpaw's eyes rolled in his head and he lurched sideways. Half scrambling, half falling, he slithered off the Highrock and collapsed on the ground below.

Flamepaw watched then as if frozen, as Goldenflower bounded toward him and crouched at his side. She licked his cheek briefly and called out, "Spottedleaf! Flamepaw!"

At that moment she seemed to unfreeze and ran forward through her clanmates towards the fallen apprentice. Spottedleaf appeared from the medicine den and trotted over. She hurried over to Ravenpaw and Flamepaw managed to get there when she mewed for Goldenflower to stand back. The medicine cat then used her nose to roll the apprentice over so that they could get a good look at the wound. Spottedleaf then glanced up and meowed, "It's all right, Goldenflower, his wounds aren't fatal. But we'll need to fetch some cobwebs to stop the bleeding."

Flamepaw looked up and met her mentor's eyes for a moment, "Flamepaw I want you to press your paws onto the wound to try to slow the bleeding and make sure you use a lot of pressure," the medicine cat replied and sprinted back to the medicine den. She quickly pressed her paws onto the wound as gently as possible, but made sure she used a lot of pressure.

The hushed silence in the clearing was broken by a mournful howl. Flamepaw looked up from her task and looked in the direction it came from. The rest of her Clan did the same.

Tigerclaw staggered through the gorse tunnel. Between his sharp teeth he held not prey, but the lifeless body of another cat. It was Redtail. He dragged the tattered deputy into the center of the clearing.

Shock rippled through the Clan like a chill breeze. From the corner of her eye, Flamepaw saw Graypaw drop into a crouch of grief. "Redtail!"

"How did this happen, Tigerclaw?" demanded Bluestar from her position on the Highrock.

Tigerclaw let the scruff of Redtail's neck fall from his mouth. He looked steadily back at Bluestar. "He died with honor, struck down by Oakheart. I couldn't save him, but I managed to take Oakheart's life while he was still gloating over his victory." Tigerclaw's voice was strong and deep. "Redtail's death was not in vain, for I doubt we'll see Riverclan hunters in our territory again."

Flamepaw watched then as after a moment's pause, several of the cats walked forward to share tongues with Redtail one last time. She looked up then as Spottedleaf came forward with bundles of herbs and cobwebs in her jaws. She set them down and looked up at her then. "You may go. You are done for the night," she mewed and Flamepaw nodded.

She then turned and walked over to Redtail's body, grief weighing heavily in her heart. The deputy had been like a father to her and had always played with her and Sandpaw when they were kits. She now bent forward then and pressed her nose into his neck fur and whispered, "You will never be forgotten. Starclan should be proud to have such a noble and loyal warrior amongst their ranks. I will never forget you. Let Starclan light your way. Always."

Flamepaw now stood up then and walked a few paces away her shoulders slumped and her tail dragging in the dust. She heard someone call her name and looked up to find Tigerclaw approaching her. Before he could say anything she looked over at Redtail's body and found Bluestar was now crouched over his body to share tongues with him one last time.

When she was finished she raised her head and spoke. Her voice was low and thick with grief, and the Clan listened in grief. "Redtail was a brave warrior. His loyalty to Thunderclan could never be doubted. I always relied on his judgment, for it bore witness to the needs of the Clan, and was never swayed by self-interest or pride. He would have made a fine leader."

Then she lowered herself onto her belly, her head bowed, her paws stretched neatly before her, and silently she grieved for her lost deputy. Several others came and lay down beside her, their bowed heads and hunched backs echoing her mournful pose.

Flamepaw now turned back to Tigerclaw, her eyes dead and lifeless, and filled with grief. "What is it you want, Tigerclaw?" she rasped, her voice filled with grief.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he meowed looking down at his paws nervously, which surprised her since he never showed nervousness before.

"Thank you," she whispered quietly looking at the ground blankly.

"It was actually me," Tigerclaw replied quietly his eyes filled with guilt and self-loathing.

She looked up at him for a moment and nodded. "I know. Starclan sent me a dream of him being killed at your paws," she murmured softly.

He looked up at her in surprise. "Then do you hate me? Are you scared of me?" he hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Will you tell Bluestar?"

Flamepaw shook her head. "No, Tigerclaw. I won't," she meowed firmly and looked up at him. "The truth will come out eventually. It always does. It may be tomorrow or it may be many moons from now. But the truth will come out one way or another."

She now stood there and looked into the dark tabby's amber eyes fearlessly. She saw his eyes widen and fill with fear before it died away and became soft and gentle. "Then until then will you be my ally?" he asked.

Flamepaw nodded, "Until the end, Tigerclaw," she promised. "But if Bluestar finds out and exiles you I'm not coming with you. My duty is to ThunderClan. I just hope you don't hate me for it."

"I could never hate you for something like that, Flamepaw," he purred.

She nodded then and the two of them started to walk over to Spottedleaf. The young medicine cat was using her teeth and paws to press wads of cobweb onto Ravenpaw's shoulder wound.

"So Spottedleaf," Tigerclaw addressed the tortoiseshell with a confident meow. "How is he? Do you think you can save him? I've spent a lot of time training him up, and I don't want my efforts to be wasted at the first battle."

Spottedleaf didn't look up from the apprentice as she replied. "Yes, a pity if, after all your valuable training, he dies in his first fight, eh?" Flamepaw could hear a teasing purr in her soft mew.

"Will he live?" Tigerclaw demanded.

"Of course. He just needs to rest."

Tigerclaw snorted and looked down at the motionless black shape. He jabbed Ravenpaw with one of his front claws. "Come on, then! Get up!"

"Tigerclaw stop it," she mewed and brushed her flank against him.

"Not so fast, Tigerclaw!" Spottedleaf placed her paw over Tigerclaw's sharp talon and gently moved it away. "This apprentice needs to keep as still as possible until the cut has healed. We don't want him opening his wound by jumping around trying to please you. Leave him alone."

Flamepaw felt the big tabby stiffen, and was about to speak when Spottedleaf mewed teasingly. "Even _you_ know better then to argue with a medicine cat, Tigerclaw." Tigerclaw turned then to look at her his eyes flashing at the tortoiseshell's words before turning back to the medicine cat.

"I wouldn't dare argue with _you_ , dear Spottedleaf," he purred. He turned to leave then with her right beside him when he caught sight of Firepaw and Graypaw. "Who's this?" he asked Graypaw, towering above them.

"He's the new apprentice," Graypaw mewed.

"He smells like a kittypet!" snorted the warrior.

"Tigerclaw don't be rude," she chided gently and the warrior looked at her before turning his attention back to her brother.

"I was a house cat," Firepaw meowed boldly, "but I am going to train to be a warrior."

Tigerclaw looked at him with sudden interest. "Ah, yes. Now I remember. Bluestar mentioned that she stumbled across some stray kittypet. So she's actually going to try you out, is she?"

Firepaw sat up very straight. "That's right," he mewed respectively.

Tigerclaw eyes him thoughtfully. "Then I shall watch your progress with interest. I'm curious to see if you are as promising as your sister Flamepaw is."

Flamepaw looked up at him then and he jerked his head for her to follow him and the two started to walk away.

"So that was your brother?" he asked curiously turning his head to look at her.

She nodded. "Yes that was. I hope he does well," she replied and turned to see that Graypaw was showing the new apprentice around the camp. She and Tigerclaw ended up sitting down a few tail-lengths away from the elders' den.

Flamepaw soon settled down then and had her tail wrapped neatly around her paws and looked up at the sky with Tigerclaw sitting right beside her, their fur brushing slightly. Suddenly Bluestar's voice called from the Highrock. Redtail's body still lay in the clearing below, pale gray in the fading light. "A new deputy must be appointed," she meowed. "But first, let us give thanks to Starclan for the life of Redtail. Tonight he sits with his fellow warriors among the stars."

Silence fell as all of ThunderClan looked up into the sky, which was beginning to darken as evening crept over the forest.

"And now I shall name ThunderClan's new deputy," Bluestar continued. "I say these words before the body of Redtail, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice."

Flamepaw now realized why Tigerclaw had murdered Redtail. It was so he could be named deputy. She looked up at the dark tabby and noticed the hunger in his eyes as he stared up at the Highrock.

"Lionheart," meowed Bluestar, "will be the new deputy of ThunderClan.

Flamepaw was still looking up at Tigerclaw and watched as he moved forward to congratulate Lionheart with a nudge so hearty that it almost pushed the golden tabby off balance.

Bluestar spoke again. "Redtail was also a mentor to young Dustpaw. Since there must be no delay in the training of our apprentices, I shall appoint Dustpaw's new mentor immediately. Darkstripe you are ready for your first apprentice, so you will continue Dustpaw's training. You had a fine mentor in Tigerclaw, and I expect you to pass on some of the excellent skills you were taught."

The tabby warrior swelled with pride as he showed his acceptance with a solemn nod. He strode over to Dustpaw, bent his head, and rather awkwardly touched noses with his new apprentice. Dustpaw flicked his tail respectfully, but his eyes were still dull with grief for his lost mentor.

Bluestar raised her voice. "I shall keep vigil with Redtail's body tonight, before we bury him at sunrise." She jumped down from the Highrock and walked over to lie right beside Redtail's body once more. Many others joined her, Dustpaw and Smallear among them.

Flamepaw then padded over and took her spot by Redtail's body and laid her head on his shoulder, once more feeling grief for the dead warrior. She was slightly startled when she felt someone press their fur against her flank and lifted her head and turned to see Tigerclaw. The dark tabby looked at her with his amber eyes and settled down beside her and carefully pressed his flank against her which she was grateful for.

She now laid her head once more on the former deputy's shoulder and felt some comfort that Tigerclaw had thought of staying with her. She now sat there and for once she didn't feel alone.


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, only Flamepaw and the minor plot differences.**

* * *

 **~Chapter Three~**

Dawn light was now seeping through the trees as Flamepaw laid beside Redtail's dead body with Tigerclaw lying beside her. She now sat up and arched her back trying to rid herself of her frozen stiff muscles from staying still all night. Flamepaw yawned and looked around as the newleaf sunlight started to reach the edges of the camp.

She turned her head towards the elders' den and saw Rosetail, One-eye, Halftail, Patchpelt, and Dappletail appear. The elders soon started to approach Redtail's body and the cats that had sat vigil backed away, besides Smallear.

The elders now picked up the dead deputy's body and started to drag it out of the camp with Redtail's tail dragging in the sand behind them. Flamepaw then turned and padded over to the medicine den to see Spottedleaf organizing herbs. As she brushed through the fern tunnel, the medicine cat looked up.

"I want you to take a break for today, Flamepaw," the dark dappled tortoiseshell meowed and returned to organizing herbs.

"Why?" she asked in confusion and the medicine cat regarded her once more.

"I think you deserve a break. After all, you have been working hard and I think you could use a day of peace," Spottedleaf replied.

Slowly Flamepaw nodded, "Very well Spottedleaf," she mewed and turned and left the medicine clearing to look around as her clanmates started to start their duties.

She quickly caught sight of Tigerclaw and ran up to the fierce tabby warrior. "Hey, Tigerclaw," she called catching up to him and he turned to look at her.

"Hello, Flamepaw, is there something you need?" he meowed looking at her curiously as she skidded to a halt in front of him.

"Spottedleaf gave me the day off from medicine cat training," she explained, "I was wondering if there's something I could do."

The dark tabby looked at her for a moment before replying. "Would you like to come with me and Lionheart with his apprentice Graypaw to show the new apprentice the territory?" he asked and she immediately nodded with enthusiasm.

"I would like that," she purred and followed the warrior to the top of the ravine and led her to the training hollow where Lionheart was waiting.

"Greetings, Flamepaw," the golden warrior rumbled in his deep voice, bowing his head in greeting to her.

"Hello, Lionheart," she replied cheerfully and sat down to give herself a quick wash as they waited for the other two apprentices to arrive.

A while later, the two apprentices arrived and she looked up, having finished her morning wash a few moments before. She had seated herself right beside Tigerclaw who she knew had been growing impatient. "In the future, I expect you both to be punctual," growled Tigerclaw.

"Don't be too severe, Tigerclaw; it was a busy night last night. I expect they were tired," meowed Lionheart gently. "You have not yet been assigned a mentor, Firepaw," he went on. "For now, Tigerclaw and I will share your training."

Flamepaw watched then as her brother nodded enthusiastically with his tail held high in delight.

"Come," Tigerclaw meowed impatiently. "Today we are going to show you the edges of our territory, so that you know where you will be hunting and what boundaries you need to protect. Graypaw, it won't do you any harm to remind yourself of the Clan's outer limits."

Without another word except for a flick of his tail in her direction to follow him, Tigerclaw leaped up and bounded out of the sandy hollow. She hesitated for a moment, looked at Lionheart and then raced off after the dark tabby. After a moment, she heard the others running right behind her.

She ran through the forest then and soon managed to catch up with the warrior. For a few moments they ran side by side, before stopping. Tigerclaw had paused to spray his scent on a thick clump of ferns. The others soon stopped beside them.

"There is a Twoleg path here," murmured Lionheart. "Use your nose, Firepaw. Can you smell anything?"

Flamepaw turned then to see the small flame-colored tom sniff the air. "A Twoleg has walked his dog here, but they are gone now," he meowed.

"Good," meowed Lionheart. "Do you think it is safe to cross?"

She looked at her brother and saw him sniff again. "Yes," he replied.

Tigerclaw nodded, and they stalked out from beneath the ferns and crossed the sharp stones of the narrow Twoleg path.

They soon came to Tallpines and she knew beyond that was the Treecut place. The pine trees here grew tall and straight, row after row. It was easy to walk silently here due to the ground being covered by pine needles. There was no undergrowth to hide here in, and she couldn't help but stalk forward hesitantly since here she and her clanmates were unprotected as they stalked between the tree trunks.

"Twolegs put these trees here," meowed Tigerclaw. "They cut them down with foul-smelling creatures, which spew enough fumes to make a kit go blind. Then they take the fallen trees to Treecut place that lies near here."

Flamepaw then turned her head then and saw her brother had stopped to listen.

"The Treecut place will be silent for a few moons more, until the time of greenleaf," explained Graypaw also noticing his pause.

The cats padded on through the pine forest.

"Twolegplace lies in that direction," meowed Tigerclaw, flicking his thick tail to one side. "No doubt you can smell it, Firepaw. Today, however, we will head the other way."

Eventually, they reached the Twoleg path that marked the far edge of Tallpines and she knew that a little way beyond that was RiverClan territory. They quickly crossed over the path into the safe oak woods beyond. Flamepaw couldn't help but feel anxiety as they approached.

She couldn't help but over hear Graypaw. "We're approaching RiverClan territory," whispered Graypaw. "The Sunningrocks are over there." From the corner of her eye she saw him point with his soft muzzle towards treeless mound of boulders.

She saw her brother's fur start to bristle and she knew he was remembering ThuderClan's late deputy, Redtail.

Lionheart stopped by a flat gray rock. "This is the boundary between ThunderClan and RiverClan territory. Riverclan rules the hunting grounds beside the great river," he meowed. "Breathe deeply, Firepaw."

Flamepaw turned her head then as Firepaw opened his mouth to scent the air around them.

"That is the smell of RiverClan," Tigerclaw growled beside him. "Remember it well. It will be stronger at the boundary, because their warriors will have scent-marked the trees along here."

With these words, the dark tabby lifted his tail and sprayed his own mark on the flat rock.

"We'll follow this boundary line, as it leads straight to Fourtrees," Lionheart meowed.

He set off quickly, away from Sunningrocks, followed by Tigerclaw who once again flicked his tail at her to follow him, which she quickly obliged. She heard Graypaw and Firepaw trotting after them.

"What is Fourtrees?" Firepaw panted

"It is where the territories of all the four Clans meet," replied Graypaw. "There are four great oaks there, as old as the Clans—"

"Be quiet!" ordered Tigerclaw. "Don't forget how close we are to enemy territory!"

She heard the two apprentices fall silent. Flamepaw then turned and looked at Tigerclaw who met her gaze and as their eyes met she saw a spark of mischief deep within them. She quickly looked away and focused on running as silently as possible.

She was actually quite happy that she had grown quite a bit since she first came to ThunderClan and not to mention that her legs had become a little bit longer as well. Flamepaw hoped that her legs will grow a little bit longer since she didn't want to be slower than her clanmates.

They soon crossed a shallow stream, keeping their paws dry by leaping from boulder to boulder across the pebbly riverbed. Then Lionheart and Tigerclaw led them out of the thick woods and stopped at the top of the slope that ThunderClan used to go down to Fourtrees.

It was sunhigh now. Below, in the dazzling sunlight, stood the four great oak trees of Fourtrees, their dark green crowns almost reaching to the top of the slope.

"As Graypaw told you," meowed Lionheart to Firepaw, "this is Fourtrees. Where the territories of all four Clans meet. WindClan governs the high ground ahead of us, where the sun sets. You won't be able to catch their scent today—the wind is blowing toward them. But you'll learn it soon enough."

"And ShadowClan holds power over there, in the darkest part of the forest," added Graypaw, flicking his head sideways. "The elders say that the cold winds from the north blow over the Shadowclan cats and chill their hearts."

"So many Clans!" Firepaw exclaimed.

"You see now why prey is so precious," meowed Lionheart. "Why we must fight to protect what little we have."

"But that seems foolish! Why can't the Clans work together and share their hunting grounds, instead of fighting each other?" Firepaw suggested boldly.

A shocked silence greeted his words.

Flamepaw stared at her brother and felt her fur bristle uneasily and couldn't help but look at Tigerclaw.

"That is treacherous thinking, kittypet," he snapped.

"Don't be too fierce, Tigerclaw," warned Lionheart. "The ways of the Clan are new to this apprentice." He looked at Firepaw. "You speak from your heart, young Firepaw. This will make you a stronger warrior one day."

She couldn't help, but nod in agreement with the senior warrior's words.

Tigerclaw growled. "Or it might make him give in to kittypet weaknesses right at the moment of attack."

Both she and Lionheart glanced briefly at Tigerclaw before Lionheart continued. "The four Clans do come together peacefully, in a Gathering each moon. Here"—he bent his head forward toward the clearing of Fourtrees below—"is where they meet. The truce lasts for as long as the moon is at its fullest."

"Then there must be a meeting very soon?" Firepaw suggested.

"Indeed there is!" answered Lionheart, impressed. "Tonight, in fact. The Gatherings are very important because they allow the Clans to come together in peace for one night. But you must understand that longer alliances bring more trouble than they're worth."

"It is our Clan loyalty that makes us strong," Tigerclaw meowed in agreement. "If you weaken that loyalty, you weaken our chances of survival."

Firepaw nodded. "I understand," he mewed.

"Come on," meowed Lionheart, standing up. "Let's keep moving."

They paced along the ridge of the valley that Fourtrees stood. They crossed the stream at a place where it was narrow enough to leap over in one jump. Flamepaw recognized then that they were going in the direction of Shadowclan territory and the Thunderpath.

"Which Clan is that," Firepaw asked, after sniffing the air.

"ShadowClan," answered Tigerclaw grimly. "We are traveling along their border. Keep your wits about you, Firepaw. Fresher scents mean that a Shadowclan patrol is in the area."

Firepaw nodded. "What's that?" he called, trotting to catch up with them.

"You'll see in a moment," replied Lionheart.

"Are we at the edge of the woods?" her brother asked, stopping and taking a deep breath.

"This is the Thunderpath," meowed Tigerclaw.

Lionheart then led them to the edge of the forest. Then he sat down and all five cats looked out.

Flamepaw wrinkled her nose slightly then at the strong stench and looked out at the dark gray stone. She could hear a rumbling sound that was increasingly becoming louder until it was a roar. In the next moment, a monster flew past with a mighty roar and from the corner of her eye she saw Firepaw leap back, his fur bristling. The branches of the trees on either side flapped madly in the wind that chased the speeding monster. Flamepaw couldn't help but let out a soft purr of amusement. She watched then as her brother stared around at them, his eyes wide, unable to speak.

"Scared me too the first time," Graypaw remarked and Flamepaw nodded her agreement remembering her first time as well. "But at least it helps keep ShadowClan warriors from crossing into our territory. The Thunderpath runs for many pawsteps along our boundary line. And don't worry; those monsters seem to never leave the Thunderpath. You'll be fine if you don't go too near."

"It's time we returned to camp," meowed Lionheart. "You have seen all our boundaries now. But we'll avoid Snakerocks, even though the way is longer. An untrained apprentice would be easy prey for an adder, and I expect you are getting tired, Firepaw."

She watched then as her brother bowed his head and fell in beside Graypaw as the cats turned away from the Thunderpath and headed back into the forest.

* * *

As Flamepaw followed the others through the gorse tunnel, Flamepaw immediately was halted by Bluestar.

"Flamepaw go get something to eat you are coming to the gathering. Spottedleaf is staying behind this time," the old ThunderClan leader meowed, before walking away.

The orange and white tabby she-cat then quickly trotted over to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed a shrew and walked over to Sandpaw and Dustpaw.

"Hey, Flamepaw," Sandpaw mewed, "are you going tonight?"

"Yep. I just got told by, Bluestar," she replied. "Apparently, Spottedleaf is staying behind this time."

She quickly took a bite of her shrew and looked up to see Graypaw and Firepaw padding over with their own meals.

"Hi there, kittypet," mewed Dustpaw, narrowing his eyes scornfully at her brother. "Enjoy the food _we_ caught for you."

"Who knows, you might even learn to catch your own one day!" sneered Sandpaw.

"Are you still on hunting duty?" asked Graypaw innocently. "Never mind. We've been patrolling our territory borders. You'll be glad to know all is safe."

"I'm sure the other Clans were terrified when they smelled you two coming!" yowled Dustpaw.

"They didn't even show their faces," retorted Graypaw, unable to hide his anger.

"Well, we'll ask them tonight when we see them at the Clan Gathering," mewed Sandpaw.

"Are you going," Firepaw blurted out, sounding impressed.

"Of course," replied Dustpaw loftily. "It's a great honor you know. But don't worry; we'll tell you all about it in the morning."

Flamepaw had just finished her fresh-kill and was now cleaning her face as Graypaw and her brother started to eat.

A loud call from Bluestar made her quickly finish and look up, along with the others. She saw several of her clanmates both warriors and elders gather in the clearing. It was time to leave. Dustpaw and Sandpaw leaped to their feet and trotted off to join the others.

"'Bye you two," called Sandpaw over her shoulder. "Have a nice, quiet evening!"

Flamepaw now stood up. "Well, I better get going. See you in the morning," she meowed and trotted over to her clanmates to stand beside Runningwind.

They soon stalked out of camp in single file, with Bluestar at the head. Her fur glowed like silver in the moonlight, and she looked as calm and confident as ever as she led them to Fourtrees.

* * *

Morning light now seeped through the medicine clearing as Flamepaw stood up and stretched, arching her back. She then sat down and started to groom her sleek and glossy, orange and white tabby coat. She looked up then as Spottedleaf padded out of her den her dappled tortoiseshell coat glowing in the sunlight.

"Flamepaw I want you to go looking for some marigold today," the young tortoiseshell meowed. "We're starting to get low since I used quite a bit on Ravenpaw's shoulder wound."

She nodded towards her mentor then and trotted out of the medicine clearing. Flamepaw looked around then and saw Lionheart and Tigerclaw starting to walk towards the gorse tunnel. She soon started to walk in their direction and Tigerclaw looked up.

"Are you joining us again, Flamepaw?" he meowed, in amusement and Flamepaw shook her head and saw a flicker of disappointment in his eyes for a moment before it disappeared.

"Sorry, Tigerclaw, but Spottedleaf wanted me to find some marigold," she replied and he nodded.

The three soon came to the top of the ravine then and soon took their separate ways. Flamepaw soon found what she was looking for then and quickly started to chew off the leaves carefully. Once she was satisfied she had enough she gently picked the marigold leaves up and returned to camp.

By the time she returned, it was almost sunhigh. Flamepaw quickly walked over to the medicine den and dropped the marigold leaves at her mentor's paws.

"Here you are, Spottedleaf," she mewed and the medicine let out a purr.

"Well done. Why don't you go and hunt or something," Spottedleaf murmured gently. "I can handle things here."

"Okay, Spottedleaf," she meowed and padded out of the medicine den.

She quickly raced through the trees. Flamepaw soon came across Firepaw who was hunting something. She stayed to the shadows then, making sure her scent was downwind of whatever he was stalking. She opened her mouth to taste the air. Mouse. She almost purred, but quickly held it back and watched silently.

Then she saw it. It was scrambling through the long grass near the stream. Flamepaw watched then as Firepaw shifted closer. Then he pushed back hard on his hindpaws and sprang, kicking up sand as he rose.

The mouse raced away. But Firepaw was quicker. She watched silently then as he scooped it into the air with one paw, threw it onto the sandy streambed, and lunged on top of it. He killed it quickly with one sharp bite.

She quickly walked forward then. "Nice catch, Firepaw," she purred and her brother purred in response.

"Thanks, Flamepaw," he mumbled around his catch.

Then she started to follow him back to the hollow where she knew Tigerclaw and Lionheart waited. She was really proud of her brother now. He had made his first kill. In her mind he was now a true ThunderClan apprentice now.


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors only Flamepaw and the minor plot differences.**

* * *

 **~Chapter Four~**

It was early morning and right now Flamepaw was having a very bad day. It had been two moons since her brother, Firepaw, had started his training and she couldn't be more proud of him. She had been training to be a medicine cat for four moons now and Spottedleaf had already started to let her do certain tasks without supervision. The young medicine cat had said she had never seen any cat learn so quickly. She said that Flamepaw might become a full medicine cat sooner than she would have.

Right now however she felt like a kit. She had gotten herself literally stuck in a patch of brambles and right now the thorns were digging deep into her pelt and she couldn't get herself free. Suddenly she heard a twig snap and immediately she opened her mouth to taste the air. Flamepaw hadn't been more relieved in her life when she recognized the scent.

"Tigerclaw," she called or rather yowled as she had in fact moved into a different position and felt the brambles dig into her flanks sharply, making her hiss out in pain.

It was only moments later that the dark tabby appeared and looked at her in amazement. "How did you get in there," he asked his eyes wide.

"I was hunting and nearly caught a mouse, which ran into this bramble thicket and I was running to fast to stop and…well you can see for yourself," she muttered, trying to wiggle her way out, but only letting out a hiss of pain.

"Hold still and let me se if I can do anything," Tigerclaw replied and walked forward to see how badly she was tangled.

Then with his long front claws unsheathed he started slicing away the brambles, but making sure that he didn't get too close to her. Finally most of the brambles had been clawed away from her and she struggled to get free once more.

"It's not working," she grunted as she tried to claw her way forward.

"Alright don't move," Tigerclaw meowed, receiving a glare.

"It's not like I have a choice," she snapped angrily but complied and the big tabby grabbed a hold of her scruff in his strong jaws then he jerked sharply with all his might and the two of them went crashing backwards.

Flamepaw quickly rolled away from him and stood up slowly and winced. She turned her head to look back at the brambles then to find that large clumps of her orange and white fur were still stuck to the thorns where she had been. She now looked down at her pelt to see that she was covered in thorns and mud. Her pelt was literally a disaster.

"It's going to take moons for me to take these thorns out," she groaned and heard a loud cough followed by another, and then it turned into a full blown laughing fit. Flamepaw whipped around then to find Tigerclaw rolling on his back laughing. Anger and embarrassment and even shame flowed through her, making her pelt feel hot.

"It's not funny!" she screeched, which only made him laugh harder and with a loud caterwaul she launched herself at him and heard him let out a yowl of surprise as she tackled him to the ground.

She now had him pinned to the ground and ignored the pain flowing through her body even though she did wince in pain. Flamepaw now glowered down at Tigerclaw, her green eyes blazing with fiery.

"Sorry," he meowed, "it's just you look like a hedgehog."

She glowered at him even more fiercely, her eyes flashing. "And it's rude to laugh when I am obviously in agony," she spat and lept off the dark tabby and winced once more.

She couldn't help but crouch down in agony as Tigerclaw stood up on his paws. He looked over at her then and his amber eyes became gentle.

"Come on," he replied. "Let's get you back to camp."

She nodded, but could barely walk and Tigerclaw ended up grabbing her by her scruff and carried her back to camp. She winced when some of the spikes from the gorse tunnel tugged at her fur. Finally, Tigerclaw carried her into the camp.

Flamepaw's eyes looked around and she caught sight of Brindleface, her adoptive mother. The dappled, mottled gray tabby looked up and was immediately on her paws and raced across the clearing over to her and Tigerclaw.

"Flamepaw! Your beautiful coat! What happened?" the tabby queen yowled shrilly and once again she winced; only this time it was from the queen's shrill voice.

Spottedleaf on hearing Brindleface's stressed call, had raced out of the medicine den and trotted over to them. Tigerclaw then sat her down as carefully as possible, even though she still winced and groaned in pain. The dark tabby warrior quickly explained what happened to the two she-cats then, as Spottedleaf carefully sniffed at her pelt.

"Let's get her to the medicine den," the tortoiseshell meowed.

Tigerclaw once again picked her up and carried over to the medicine den. Once inside he sat her down gently in her nest and took a few steps back as Spottedleaf quickly reappeared from her den and walked over with a few bundles of herbs. Suddenly Bluestar appeared and called Tigerclaw away for a patrol.

"Will she be okay?" the dark warrior asked the medicine cat.

"She will. She just needs some rest after I get those thorns and brambles out," Spottedleaf replied and Flamepaw immediately groaned.

Tigerclaw nodded then and looked down at her briefly before charging off out of the medicine clearing.

 **...**

It was after sunhigh and Flamepaw was still in a lot of pain, even though the thorns and brambles had been removed. Her pelt was now patchy and thin in some areas since she had left a great deal of her fur in that bramble thicket. She had tried to groom herself and managed to remove any thorns that had been missed. Earlier, after, removing those thorns, Spottedleaf had given her some poppy seeds to help with the pain and also help her sleep. Now she felt refreshed, but still sore.

Suddenly she heard a steady jeering starting to be picked up, and quickly exited the medicine den just a few moments after Spottedleaf who was walking towards a familiar old, dark gray she-cat. Only the familiar sour tang of ShadowClan confirmed her suspicions. It was Yellowfang. The grumpy ShadowClan medicine cat.

Flamepaw now watched then as Spottedleaf walked forward through the crowd which parted to let the young tortoiseshell through.

Yellowfang glared at Spottedleaf and hissed. "I know how to take care of my own wounds. I don't need your help."

She watched then as her mentor said nothing but nodded respectfully and stepped back. Flamepaw decided to stay in the shade of the fern tunnel that led to the medicine clearing.

She watched then as the returning warriors each took some food from the fresh-kill pile and took it over to the nettle patch to eat. Then the rest of her clanmates stepped forward to take their own share. Flamepaw eyed the fresh-kill but refused.

She turned her head then and saw Firepaw, who was pacing around the clearing looking hungry. Flamepaw watched him as he watched as the Clan cats crouched in their usual groups, chewing and gulping. That's when she guessed that he must have broken the warrior code.

She watched then as he paused beside the Highrock where Bluestar was sharing words with Tigerclaw.

Flamepaw sighed and crouched down then and watched as Tigerclaw walked forward towards the fresh-kill pile and took his share. He seemed to realize that someone was watching him, since he looked up in her direction with the fresh-kill in his mouth. She saw his eyes widen slightly before walking towards her and dropping the thrush at her paws.

"Take it," he meowed looking deeply into her eyes.

She stood there for a moment and looked down at the fresh-kill longingly but shook her head stubbornly. "No, Tigerclaw. I can't. I didn't even bring prey back for the Clan," she snapped.

"You are not a _warrior_ apprentice," he replied. "You are training to be a _medicine cat_ , Flamepaw. Besides," he purred pushing the fresh-kill closer, "you were injured. You need to keep your strength up."

Finally, Flamepaw gave in and crouched down to eat, she still winced at moving into that position but ignoring the pain she took a bite. She looked over Tigerclaw's shoulder then and saw Firepaw sneaking over to the fresh-kill pile to grab a mouse.

"Tigerclaw," she warned and jerked her head, again wincing, in the direction of the fresh-kill pile and the dark tabby whipped around to see her brother almost grabbing the mouse.

"Not for you," Tigerclaw growled, striding up behind him and pawing the mouse away. "You didn't bring back any prey. The elders will eat your share. Take it to them."

She watched then as Firepaw looked over at Bluestar.

She nodded shortly. "Do as he says."

Flamepaw watched then as her brother carried the mouse over to the elders then and sighed heavily, before turning back to her own fresh-kill. Tigerclaw soon returned with his own fresh-kill and the two ate in silence. In fact she almost expected him to gloat or act arrogant, but he didn't.

Bluestar's call sounded across the clearing. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join together for a meeting of our Clan."

Flamepaw stood up then, having just finished her meal and had started grooming herself, even though she winced when she tried to groom every tender spot. She now looked up then and slowly heaved herself onto her paws, and wobbled slightly. She trotted over to the Highrock slowly with Tigerclaw right beside her.

"I'm sure you have all heard about the prisoner we brought back with us today," Bluestar began. "But there is something else you need to know." She glanced down at the old ShadowClan medicine cat. "Can you hear me from there?" she asked.

"I may be old, but I'm not deaf yet!" Yellowfang spat in reply.

Bluestar ignored the she-cat's hostile tone and continued. "I'm afraid I have some very grave news. Today I traveled with a patrol into WindClan territory. The air was filled with the scent of ShadowClan. Almost every tree had been sprayed by ShadowClan warriors. And we met no WindClan cats even though we traveled deep within their heartland."

Her words were met with silence and Flamepaw saw that many of her clanmates were deeply confused.

"Do you mean ShadowClan has chased them out?" called Smallear hesitantly.

"We can't be sure," Bluestar meowed. "Certainly the scent of ShadowClan was everywhere. We found blood too, and fur. There must have been a battle, though we found no bodies of either Clan."

A shocked yowl rose from the crowd in a single voice. Flamepaw felt her clanmates stiffen around her with shock and fury. Never before had one Clan driven another from its hunting grounds. Flamepaw felt fury flow through her veins and a low growl escaped her throat. She could feel Tigerclaw beside her; brush his tail along her flank to calm her.

"How can Windclan have been driven out?" One-eye croaked hoarsely. "ShadowClan is fierce, but WindClan is many. They have lived in the uplands for generations. Why have they been chased out now?" She shook her head anxiously, her whiskers trembling.

"I don't know the answers to any of your questions," meowed Bluestar. "It is well known that ShadowClan has recently appointed a new leader, following the death of Raggedstar. Their new leader, Brokenstar, gave no hint of any threat when we met him at the last Gathering."

"Perhaps Yellowfang has answers?" snarled Darkstripe. "After all, she is of Shadowclan!"

"I am no traitor! Nothing will make me share the secrets of Shadowclan with a brute like you!" growled Yellowfang, glaring aggressively at Darkstripe. The Thunderclan warrior moved forward, ears flat, eyes closed to slits, ready for a fight.

"Stop!" yowled Bluestar.

Darkstripe immediately halted in his tracks, even though Yellowfang goaded him on with blazing eyes and a ferocious hiss.

"That's enough!" growled Bluestar. "This situation is too serious for us to be fighting among ourselves. Thunderclan must prepare itself. From this moonrise onward, warriors will travel in larger groups. Other Clan members will remain close to camp. Patrols will travel the boundary edges more frequently, and all the kits must stay in the nursery."

The cats below her nodded in agreement.

Bluestar continued. "Our need for warriors is our greatest obstacle. We shall get this by speeding up the training of our apprentices. They need to be ready even sooner to fight for our Clan."

Flamepaw looked at the other apprentices and saw that all of them looked excited. She quickly looked over at Spottedleaf, her eyes filled with silent words. Wondering if her own apprenticeship will also speed up. She saw the tortoiseshell nod to her in agreement and felt excitement of her own as she turned back to the Highrock.

Bluestar went on. "One young cat has been sharing mentors with Graypaw and Ravenpaw. By teaching him, I shall speed up the training of all three apprentices." She paused and looked down at her Clan. "I shall take on Firepaw as my own apprentice."

She herself was gaping in astonishment at Bluestar. She suddenly felt Tigerclaw stiffen beside her. "So Firepaw is to be rewarded, not punished, for feeding an enemy warrior when he should have been feeding his own Clan?"

"Firepaw is my apprentice now. I will deal with him," answered Bluestar. She stared into Tigerclaw's fierce eyes for a moment before lifting her head to address the whole Clan once more. "Yellowfang will be allowed to stay here until she has recovered her strength. We are warriors, not savages. She is to be treated with respect and courtesy."

"But the Clan cannot support Yellowfang," Darkstripe protested. "We have too many mouths to feed already."

"I don't need anyone to take care of me!" spat Yellowfang. "And I'll split anyone who tries!"

There were muffled meows from the other warriors as they grudgingly recognized the enemy warrior's fighting spirit.

Bluestar ignored the murmuring. "We shall kill two prey with one blow, as it were. Firepaw, as punishment for breaking the warrior code, it will be your responsibility to care for Yellowfang. You will hunt for her and tend to her wounds. You will fetch fresh bedding and clear away her dirt."

"Yes, Bluestar," mewed Firepaw, his head bowed in submission.

Mocking yowls came from Dustpaw and Sandpaw. "Good idea!" hissed Dustpaw. "Firepaw had better be good at cracking fleas!"

"And hunting!" added Sandpaw. "That sack of bones is going to need feeding up!"

Flamepaw felt a growl rumbling in her throat and the fur that she had left bristled as they made fun of her litter mate.

"Enough!" Bluestar interrupted them. "I hope Firepaw will find no shame in caring for Yellowfang. She is a healer, and she is an elder. For those reasons alone he should respect her!" She shot a sharp glance at Sandpaw and Dustpaw. "And there is no humiliation in caring for another cat when it is unable to take care of itself. The meeting is over. I would like to speak to my senior warriors alone now." With that, she jumped down from the Highrock and marched toward her den.

Flamepaw looked up at Tigerclaw then and meowed a fair well and quickly made her way to the medicine den. From the corner of her eye she saw Lionheart had already followed Bluestar and Tigerclaw was looking after her for a moment before following them into Bluestar's den with the other senior warriors following.

Flamepaw soon curled up in her nest in the medicine clearing and felt exhausted and sore from her little adventure from earlier. It wasn't long before she dozed off, for a few minutes anyway.


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, only Flamepaw and the minor plot differences.**

* * *

 **~Chapter Five~**

It was a few minutes after Flamepaw dozed off when she smelled a familiar scent and opened up her eyes and lifted her head slightly to see Firepaw trotting through the fern tunnel. She slowly got to her feet then and yawned before hopping out of her nest and walking over to her brother, who was talking to Spottedleaf.

"I've got most of those in my den," Spottedleaf was saying. "I'll fetch some marigold leaves too. If she dresses her wound with that, it will keep off any infection. Wait here."

"Thanks," Firepaw mewed, as the young medicine cat slid past her with a greeting and disappeared back into her den.

"Hi, Firepaw," she murmured quietly and he looked up at her then.

"Hi, Flamepaw," he meowed then hesitantly asked, "what happened to you?"

She couldn't help but let out a huff. "I messed with the wrong bramble thicket while hunting for a mouse. That's what happened," she muttered good naturedly and Spottedleaf emerged once again from the gloom and dropped a bundle folded in leaves by Firepaw's feet.

"Tell Yellowfang to go easy on the poppy seeds. I don't want her to deaden the pain entirely. A little pain can be useful, as it will help us judge how well she is healing."

Firepaw nodded and picked up the herbs with his teeth. "Thanks, Spottedleaf!" he mewed through the mouthful of leaves, then headed back out the fern tunnel and into the main clearing.

* * *

The sun had risen three times since Yellowfang had entered the camp and that Flamepaw had gotten stuck in that bramble thicket. She herself had been in a very bad mood ever since and was still sore. The young medicine cat apprentice had woken quite early today and was grooming her now patchy coat. She couldn't help but wince every time her tongue rasped over a patchy tender spot. Flamepaw now satisfied that her pelt was as neatly groomed as she could get it, now stood up and slid out of the fern tunnel.

The morning was warm. She now looked up then at the deep blue sky. Today, however, there was heavy dew on the fern fronds and it sparkled on the grass. Flamepaw knew that Greenleaf was drawing to a close, and soon the air would start to become cooler and the days would become shorter.

She turned her head then and saw her brother, Firepaw, pad out of the apprentice den and sniff the air before lying down and rolling in the earth beside the tree stump. She watched then as he stretched out his legs and tipped his head back to rub it on the cool ground. Then he flipped over and looked in the direction of where Yellowfang was sleeping, no doubt looking to see if the old she-cat was awake.

Flamepaw shook her head then and winced as a stab of pain rushed through her. She turned her head then and caught sight of the other apprentices trotting out of the apprentice den with Ravenpaw appearing last, with a nervous glance around the clearing before emerging fully into the open.

She watched then as Dustpaw and Sandpaw started what looked like their usual taunts and insults towards the flame-coated apprentice. All she did was sigh and sat a few tail-lengths away from them as Sandpaw mewed rudely, "Perhaps she thinks a kittypet is better off staying in camp, tending to the sick." Tossing her sleek ginger head and throwing Firepaw a scornful look.

"And what's wrong with a kittypet staying in camp tending to the sick, Sandpaw, pray tell," she meowed catching her adopted sister's attention.

The pale ginger she-cat whipped around then and looked at her guiltily, "Sorry, Flamepaw," she replied guiltily.

The orange tabby and white she-cat nodded stiffly as her brother mewed, "What is Whitestorm teaching you today, Sandpaw?"

"We're doing battle training today. He's going to teach me how a real warrior fights," Sandpaw replied proudly.

"Lionheart's taking me to the Great Sycamore," mewed Graypaw, "to practice my climbing. I best go. He'll be waiting."

"I'll come with you to the top of the ravine," mewed Firepaw. "I have to catch breakfast for Yellowfang. Coming Ravenpaw? Tigerclaw must have something planned for you."

Then her brother turned to her, "What about you Flamepaw? Can you come?"

She couldn't help but purr at her brother's hopefulness. "Of course I'm coming you crazy furball. Besides, Spottedleaf said I could take the whole day off since I've been working hard for the past couple of days," she meowed.

Flamepaw now followed the three toms out of camp. Even though his injury was completely healed, Ravenpaw still seemed to have little enthusiasm for warrior training.

 **...**

Flamepaw was literally hissing in fury as she tried to claw herself out of yet _another_ bramble thicket. She couldn't believe how she quite literally walked straight into it without noticing it in the first place. She was started to wonder if Bluestar should have called her Bramblepelt. As she struggled the thorns started to dig deeper into what was left of her pelt from the last time and ended up letting out a screech of complete agony.

Suddenly she heard a loud crashing and thumping of something coming closer and fast. Flamepaw immediately started to whip from side to side trying to struggle her way out. Then out of nowhere she heard a loud battle cry and just as a dog appeared, Tigerclaw came flying out of the undergrowth and flung himself on the dog.

She watched then with wide shocked green eyes as the dark tabby warrior slashed at the dog's muzzle. Blood splattered onto the grass then and yelping, the dog turned and fled into the undergrowth from the direction it came from.

Flamepaw couldn't help but try to haul herself out of the brambles but they just simply dug in even deeper. Tigerclaw now turned towards her then and his amber eyes widened in disbelief.

"Before you say anything, _yes_ I got caught in _another_ bramble thicket. Only this time, I actually stumbled into it by accident," she muttered and felt her pelt heat up with embarrassment.

Tigerclaw purred with amusement then and walked forward, "You really need to be more careful of where you're going, Flamepaw," he replied before grabbing her neck fur and giving her a sharp tug they ended up flying backwards.

Flamepaw landed right on top Tigerclaw who let out a muffled, "Oomph!" and she quickly scrambled off him. The dark tabby then sat up and looked at her with worry in his eyes.

"Are you okay?" he demanded and stood up to sniff her pelt.

"I'm fine, Tigerclaw," she rasped and looked at her pelt to find it not only covered in mud but also in thorns. "Not again!" she groaned, before sitting down and starting to pull out thorns along with clumps of her fur.

"Here let me do it," Tigerclaw replied gently before sitting beside her and gently tugging out thorns with his teeth.

Flamepaw sat there then for a while, as the warrior tugged out the thorns tangled in her pelt. She still couldn't believe how mouse-brained she was for walking into another bramble thicket. Finally Tigerclaw managed to tug out the last of the thorns.

"There that's all I could see," he meowed looking over her pelt carefully.

"Thanks," she muttered before standing up and gasped out in pain.

"What is it?" Tigerclaw demanded immediately looking at her worriedly.

"I'm fine," she panted, "just sore."

"Let me carry you back to camp," he meowed gently and carefully picked her up by her scruff.

After some time they finally came to the top of the ravine before she told him to put her down and said she could walk the rest of the way. The dark warrior had nodded and meowed a farewell and said something about returning to his patrol and disappeared. Slowly she started to climb down the ravine and finally came to the bottom and walked through the gorse tunnel into the camp.

As she looked around she saw her clanmates carrying sticks and twigs in their teeth. The camp had been very active since Bluestar had announced WindClan's disappearance. She saw that the queens were weaving twigs and leaves into a dense green wall around the sides of the nursery, making sure that the narrow entrance was the only way in and out of the bramble patch. Others were working at the edges of the camp, filling in any spaces in the thick undergrowth.

Even the elders were busy, scraping out a whole in the ground. Warriors filed steadily past, piling pieces of fresh-kill inside them, ready to be stored inside the newly dug hole. Flamepaw could sense the air of quiet concentration, a determination to make the Clan as secure and supplied as possible.

She knew then that if ShadowClan made a move on their territory, ThunderClan would shelter inside the camp. Her clanmates would not let themselves be driven from their hunting grounds as easily as WindClan had been.

She now looked over at Darkstripe, Longtail, Willowpelt and Dustpaw for they were waiting at the camp entrance. Their eyes had been fixed on the gorse tunnel but when she appeared they were staring at her in amazement.

"Flamepaw what happened," Longtail meowed and looked at her in alarm.

"Don't worry, Longtail, I'm not hurt physically," she murmured before adding, "except my pride…or what's _left_ of it from last time."

"You got stuck in a bramble thicket _again_ , Flamepaw?" Darkstripe replied in amazement and she nodded sheepishly.

"Yeah. I wasn't looking where I was going and ended up walking into it," she muttered and looked at her paws in shame.

"Try looking up every once in a while, Flamepaw," Dustpaw replied his eyes glinting in amusement.

She couldn't help but glare at him and then started to limp heavily over to the medicine den, muttering under her breath and heard a meow of amusement and looked up and turned in the direction it came from. She now found herself looking at Yellowfang whose eyes were glowing with the old humor she used to show her.

"If it helps, Flamepaw, I did the same thing to," the old ShadowClan medicine cat meowed.

"Thanks Yellowfang," she replied and gave the old medicine cat a grateful look before pushing her way into the medicine den to see Firepaw walking out with a thin strip of bark clamped between his teeth with a piece of moss stinking of mouse bile at the end of it. He nodded towards her before brushing past her.

She now looked up at Spottedleaf who was staring at her even patchier mud-stained fur. "Let me guess," her mentor began, "you got stuck in a bramble patch again."

Flamepaw nodded glumly, "Yeah, but Tigerclaw was there again and got the thorns out this time," she meowed.

The tortoiseshell nodded and disappeared into her den before reappearing with dock leaves clamped in her jaws and started to chew the leaves and lap the juice into her fresh scratches. Flamepaw couldn't help but wince as it stung but also managed to soothe the scratches. Finally after tending to her wounds, Spottedleaf gave her some poppy seeds for the pain. Now she was curled up in her nest and managed to fall asleep.

* * *

Flamepaw had now woke up and was standing beside Tigerclaw as Firepaw, Ravenpaw and Graypaw brought back their prey from their afternoon hunt. The three apprentices had been welcomed back with high tails and friendly muzzles. It took them four journeys to carry their bumper catch to the storage hole the elders had dug.

Tigerclaw along with Lionheart had returned with their patrol as they carried their last load into the camp.

"Well done, you three," meowed Lionheart. "I hear you've been busy. The store is almost full. You might as well add that last lot to the pile of fresh-kill for tonight. And take some of it back to your den with you. You deserve a feast!"

The three apprentices flicked their tails with delight.

"I hope you've not been neglecting Yellowfang with all this hunting, Firepaw," Tigerclaw growled warningly.

Firepaw shook his head impatiently and she knew he was eager to get away. She watched then as the apprentices trotted away and dropped the last of their catch onto the fresh-kill pile that already lay at the center of the clearing. Then each of them took a piece and carried it back to their tree stump.

Flamepaw knew that Spottedleaf hadn't taken anything yet and quickly trotted over to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed a pair of plump mice and carried it back to the medicine den to find that the medicine cat was still going over herbs.

"Here, Spottedleaf," she meowed and tossed one of the mice over to her.

"Thanks, Flamepaw," her mentor replied and quickly started to eat.

Flamepaw now turned and walked out of the medicine den and started to eat in her favorite spot which was a few tail-lengths away from the fern tunnel and deep in the shadows. She now started to eat her meal hungrily in silence until she heard a loud yowl from the other side of the clearing. She recognized it to be coming from Yellowfang.

She looked over at the tree stump and saw Firepaw and Graypaw arguing. After a few moments her brother sat down looking relieved as he watched his friend trot away to the pile of fresh-kill.

Flamepaw watched then as the grey apprentice, as if he were carrying out orders, Graypaw confidently picked out two of the juiciest looking mice. Quickly he started to pad across the clearing toward Yellowfang.

"Stop, Graypaw!" A loud growl rumbled from the entrance to the warriors' den. Tigerclaw strode out and stalked over to Graypaw. "Where are you taking those mice?" he demanded.

Flamepaw felt uneasy and a little queasy and barely managed to hold back her meal as she watched from the shadows.

"Umm…" Graypaw dropped the mice and shuffled his paws uncomfortably.

"Not helping young Firepaw by feeding that greedy traitor over there, are you?"

She watched then as the young apprentice studied his paws for a moment. Finally he replied, "I, er, I was just feeling hungry. I was going to take them off and eat them by myself. If I let that pair get a look in,"—he glanced at Firepaw and Ravenpaw—"they'll leave me with nothing but bones and fur."

"Oh, _really_?" mewed Tigerclaw. "Well, if you're so hungry you might as well as eat them here and now!"

"But—" Graypaw began, looking up at the senior warrior in alarm.

"Now!" growled Tigerclaw.

Graypaw bent his head quickly and began to eat the mice. He demolished the first one in a couple of bites and swallowed quickly. The second mouse took longer to eat. Flamepaw felt herself become even queasier and felt her stomach throb and clench tightly and barely managed to swallow her mouse back, as she watched Graypaw eventually gave a final, difficult gulp and the last bit of mouse disappeared.

"Better, now?" asked Tigerclaw, his voice smooth with mock sympathy.

"Much," replied Graypaw, stifling a burp.

"Good." Tigerclaw stalked off again, in the direction of his den before he noticed her watching from the shadows and started to walk over to her.

"Are you alright?" he demanded in alarm.

She looked up at him; her eyes filled with pain as she whipped away from him and felt her stomach give a sharp uncomfortable lurch. Flamepaw struggled but found she no longer could hold back and her whole body started to jerk as her stomach gave a large heave as she vomited. Her eyes widened then in alarm but found her stomach heaving uncontrollably as she started to vomit the rest of her meal. Surprisingly her stomach kept on heaving and she vomited some more before collapsing onto her side gasping for air.

She felt even more sharp jabs of pain in her stomach. It was almost like it was being gripped by vicious jaws. She was shocked when the pain in her belly hardened, making her writhe. Jerking, she vomited once again before collapsing. Her mouth felt dry and parched. She felt so thirsty!

"Spottedleaf!" Tigerclaw yowled, his voice laced with panic.

A few moments later, the medicine cat appeared in her blurred vision. "Bring her to the medicine den. Now!" she ordered.

Flamepaw managed to stumble to her paws then and ended up leaning heavily against Tigerclaw as he helped into the den and into her nest, where she collapsed heavily.

"Water," she moaned.

"Tigerclaw go soak some moss with water for her to drink," Spottedleaf commanded.

Flamepaw felt weak and small as she laid there. A few moments later, the senior warrior returned and laid some wet moss near her muzzle. She lifted her head then and lapped at the water desperately, but as soon as the water hit her belly, another painful spasm seized her. She vomited again, unable to stop herself. But the tormenting thirst was still there, as if all the water in the world would not quench the fire inside her. Terrified, Flamepaw crouched in her nest and sank her claws into the moss lining her nest. _StarClan, help me!_ She let out a long desperate moan.

"Flamepaw, eat these," her mentor ordered as she dropped some ragged-edged crinkled leaves at her paws.

"What is it?" she rasped and felt another sharp pain in her belly.

"Parsley," the medicine cat replied and nudged the herb closer, "it cures bellyache."

Flamepaw nodded weakly and lapped up the leaves. She struggled to keep them down but ended up throwing the leaves back up. She was shocked when her stomach gave another heave and she vomited again before collapsing. Flamepaw was now too weak to move. Her body twitched, helpless with pain; she now had no power to resist the spasms. Vomit dribbled from her mouth, jerked up by another convulsion.

She no longer had the strength to feel scared. Her eyes flicked around searching for someone familiar through the painful haze. She coughed up phlegm, her belly now empty. Suddenly, she felt someone lick the fur between her ears soothingly. She blinked and finally for a moment she could see clearly through the pain.

"Tigerclaw?" she rasped, barely getting the name out.

He gently hushed her then and his amber eyes became soft and gentle and something else she couldn't identify. He then looked up. "Will she be okay, Spottedleaf?" he asked his voice hesitant.

"I don't know, Tigerclaw, but she's young and strong. There's a possibility of her surviving, but there's also a strong possibility of her dying as well. That possibility is even stronger since she is unable to keep the herbs down. We'll have to wait and let StarClan decide," the medicine cat meowed, her voice filled with defeat.

The dark tabby nodded then and looked back down at her. Flamepaw stared back, her eyes glazed with pain as another spasm jerked her body. Tigerclaw then looked over at the tortoiseshell once more.

"Will it be alright if I stay with her tonight?" he meowed nervously and the medicine cat nodded before disappearing again.

The dark tabby now carefully climbed into her nest then and wrapped his body around her gently as he tried to soothe her by rasping his tongue over her patchy fur. A weak grateful purr managed its way through her throat then before being cut off by a moan of pain as another convulsion overcame her body. Her body now twitched and Flamepaw felt the last of her strength leave her. Pain twisted her belly tighter and tighter until she was blind to everything but agony.

* * *

Flamepaw was woken when she felt someone shift slightly before relaxing again. She felt surprisingly warm and comfortable. She then forced her eyes open. They were sticky with sleep and she had to blink to clear the fuzziness from her vision. Slowly she lifted her head and turned her head to see Tigerclaw fast asleep. His breathing was deep and even. Flamepaw then pushed herself to her paws. Her belly felt crushed and slightly cramped, but the jerking agony had gone and she didn't feel sick or thirsty anymore.

She now unsteadily climbed out of her nest and felt very shaky so she sat down with a soft thump. She heard Tigerclaw shift slightly before she heard a startled, almost panicked gasp behind her before it was followed with a sigh of relief. A moment later, she felt fur brush against her own.

"I thought you'd never wake up again," Tigerclaw meowed softly.

Flamepaw now looked up then to meet his gaze with her own. "So did I," she admitted before looking down at her paws.

"How are you feeling?" he asked hesitantly.

"A little shaky and weak, but besides that I don't feel sick or thirsty anymore," she mewed looking back at him once more.

"That's good," he murmured before adding, "Spottedleaf thinks you ate a poisoned mouse."

Flamepaw stared at him in alarm, "It tasted fine," she replied, confused.

"Well it was either that or you secretly ate crow-food," he meowed.

"I'd never eat crow-food," she objected immediately, leaping to her feet and teetered slightly on her paws.

"Alright," he murmured gently, "I believe you."

She relaxed slightly before she turned and started to limp across the medicine clearing towards the fern tunnel.

"Where are you going?" Tigerclaw demanded as he caught up with her.

"I'm going to the dirtplace," she mewed before brushing through the fern tunnel and into the camp with the dark tabby hard on her paws.

 **...**

Flamepaw soon exited the dirtplace and Tigerclaw walked up to her then looking nervous.

"You should return to the medicine den and rest," the senior warrior meowed.

"I will not! My legs are cramped and I need to get some fresh air away from the camp. I will not become a prisoner in my own home," she snapped.

The dark tabby sighed heavily then. "Alright then you can do the hunting assessment with the other apprentices today," he replied and with a flick of his tail towards her to tell her to follow him, the senior warrior trotted over to the gorse tunnel.

 **...**

She now followed Tigerclaw down into the sandy hollow then, where her brother, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw were waiting. Tigerclaw greeted them briskly and launched straight into the exercise details. "Lionheart and I have spent the last few weeks trying to teach you how to hunt decently," he meowed. "Today you'll have a chance to show me how much you have learned. Each of you will take a different route and hunt as much prey as possible. And whatever you catch will be added to the supplies in camp."

Flamepaw watched silently then as the three apprentices looked at one another, nervous and excited. She saw Firepaw's eye glow at the prospect of a challenge.

"Ravenpaw, you will follow the trail beyond the Great Sycamore as far as the Snakerocks. That should be easy enough for your pitiful skills. You, Graypaw," Tigerclaw continued, "will take the route along the stream, as far as the Thunderpath."

"Great," mewed Graypaw. "Wet paws for me!" Tigerclaw's stare silenced him.

"And finally you, Firepaw. What a shame your great mentor couldn't be here today to witness your performance for herself. You shall take the route through the Tallpines, past the Treecut place, to the woods beyond."

Then Tigerclaw turned to her. "You, Flamepaw, will take the route from Sunningrocks, to the Owl Tree, to as far as Fourtrees," he told her and she nodded.

"And remember," Tigerclaw finished, fixing them all with his pale-eyed stare, "I shall be watching all of you."

Ravenpaw was the first to sprint away toward the Snakerocks. Flamepaw then stood up and staggered slightly as she pushed herself to her paws and started to make her way toward Sunningrocks with Tigerclaw right behind her, leaving Firepaw and Graypaw alone in the hollow.

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to camp to rest?" the dark tabby mewed, earning a glare from her.

"I don't want to rest! That's all I've been doing since I got tangled in those bramble thickets," she growled.

Tigerclaw sighed heavily then and bowed his towards her, "I can see I can't change your mind," he replied before bounding off away from her and into the forest.

Flamepaw now continued her journey to Sunningrocks. She looked through the undergrowth with alert green eyes and stalked cautiously through the forest, being careful not to walk into another bramble thicket. She now turned her head and looked through a thick cluster of bushes, alert for the sight and sound of prey.

Suddenly, a movement caught her eye. It was a squirrel. Flamepaw quickly made sure the wind was blowing towards her before dropping into the hunter's crouch. Slowly, she stalked through the undergrowth making sure her weight was in her haunches and that her paws were light on the ground. She stalked forward then, keeping low to the ground and moved through the undergrowth like a shadow. The squirrel suddenly looked up from nibbling on the nut it had in its front paws, and Flamepaw froze.

The squirrel then dropped the nut it had been nibbling on and made a dash for the nearest tree. Flamepaw quickly shot out of the undergrowth in a blur and raced after the grey creature. She moved smoothly after it with complete control of her movements. The squirrel had climbed halfway up a nearby maple tree and Flamepaw lept up after it. She climbed up the tree as if she were a squirrel herself and was quick, as she lept up the tree and grabbed the squirrel by the tail with her claws.

The squirrel didn't have a chance to make a noise before her jaws closed around its throat in the killing bite. She then quickly buried it, so she could return for it later on the return journey and made her way towards Sunningrocks.

Soon, the familiar dark grey rocks appeared. Flamepaw then opened her jaws and scented rabbit. Quickly she followed the scent, until she came to a small clearing near Sunningrocks. The rabbit was nibbling on some long grass. Slowly and as silent as possible, she stalked the unaware creature. Suddenly its head snapped up as it sniffed the air. Flamepaw froze.

Then the rabbit's ears twitched before it started to run away. Flamepaw raced after it. Her paws light and quick as a WindClan warrior's as her body weaved through the rocks with blinding speed. She nimbly weaved through the mazelike paths through Sunningrocks and smoothly curved her spine with each stride. She easily tucked in her hind legs close before thrusting herself flat again. She made sure to reach out with her forepaws a little farther before they touched the ground.

She pushed harder with every stride until she was aware of nothing but the steady thrumming of her paws and the way her breath fell in time with her pace. She was suddenly moving with ease, as though the wind were carrying her while the ground slid beneath her like air beneath a swallow's wings.

Flamepaw could feel the thrill that running gave her and quickly caught up with the rabbit and leaped onto it. She then bit down on the back of its neck and felt it go limp. She then buried it and scented the air.

RiverClan!

She swiftly crouched down and crept forward toward the scent. The gurgled nearby. Flamepaw peered through a bush and down the leaf-strewn bank.

A familiar gray pelt moved in the shallows.

Flamepaw stared in astonishment as Stonefur padded out on the ThunderClan side of the river, barely three tail-lengths from her. He shook himself like a dog, and then stretched out on a smooth stone sloping up from the water. The sun glistened on his sleek pelt, which clung darkly to his well-muscled frame. He was going to sleep! On ThunderClan territory!

Flamepaw tensed, ready to spring out and confront the trespasser. Then she paused. He looked so peaceful. Caught in the moment, she found herself watching his flank rising and falling.

 _What am I doing?_

She plunged through the bushes and skidded to a halt behind him, sending small stones rattling down to the water. "Get out!"

Stonefur lifted his head and glanced over his shoulder. "Flamepaw!"

He could at least act guilty! She'd caught him on ThunderClan territory.

"Just because you want Sunningrocks," she hissed, "doesn't mean you can help yourself to any piece of territory you want."

"Sorry." Stonefur got to his paws. "I couldn't resist such a sunny spot."

"You couldn't resist?" Rage choked her. "You arrogant fur-ball!" Without thinking, she launched herself at him, claws swiping his face.

He ducked and she missed.

Flamepaw stopped with her paws dug into the stones to stop her from falling over. Were his whiskers twitching? _I'll teach him!_ She twisted and sharply nipped his hind leg.

"Ow!" Stonefur hopped out of the way and swung his broad head toward her, catching her shoulder as she reared for another lunge.

While she was scrabbling at the air, Flamepaw's hind paws skidded out of the stones. She lost her balance and flopped ungracefully into the river. As the water drenched her pelt, panic shot through her. _I'm drowning!_

"Help me!"

But Stonefur stayed on the bank, his eyes bright with amusement. "Try standing up," he suggested calmly.

Flamepaw thrust her paws downward, expecting to vanish underwater. Instead, her feet stubbed against the round stones on the bottom of the river. She stood up, surprised to find the water lapping just above her belly fur. Hot with embarrassment, she stalked onto the bank and shook herself, making sure Stonefur felt the spray.

"How was I supposed to know it was that shallow?" she snapped. "ThunderClan cats don't have to get wet to catch _our_ prey."

Stonefur shrugged. "Sorry you got a bit damp." His gaze flitted over her pelt. "I was just defending myself."

His feeble apology only made Flamepaw angrier. "Why don't you shut up and get off my territory?"

He tipped his head to one side. "It seems a shame to leave at the start of such a promising friendship."

 _Friendship!_ This RiverClan cat was cheekier than the most upstart kit! "You'd better leave now, or I'll give you a scar you won't forget," Flamepaw growled.

Stonefur dipped his head, his gaze holding hers for an instant, then padded into the shallows and swam sleekly across the river. Flamepaw watched him slip onto the bank at the other side, water dripping from his thick pelt. Before he disappeared into the trees he looked back at her, his eyes gleaming.

"I won't forget you, scar or no scar," he called.

Flamepaw didn't dignify his dumb comment with a reply. _Mouse-brain!_ Wet and cross, she stamped up the bank and headed into the trees.


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: And onto chapter six! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, only Flamepaw and the minor plot differences.**

* * *

 **~Chapter Six~**

Flamepaw returned to the hollow with a large pheasant clamped in her jaws firmly. She was quick to drop it in front of Tigerclaw, who stood waiting in the hollow with no other apprentice in sight.

"Well done, Flamepaw," the senior warrior purred warmly as he eyed the pheasant with a pleased gleam, "you're the first back."

She nodded, her eyes glowing, "I haven't been exactly lucky," she admitted, "I only managed to catch this along with a squirrel and a rabbit."

He nodded, "I know. I watched you. They were all good catches. I've never seen any warrior let alone an apprentice who could run or climb so fast," he boasted.

"Yes, well, I better go fetch them then," she mewed before disappearing back into the forest.

When she returned, she could here Firepaw saying, "But what if he's been bitten by an adder?"

"Then it's his own fault," Tigerclaw replied coldly. "There's no room for fools in ThunderClan."

Flamepaw then trotted into the hollow and dropped the last of her catch by her pheasant before sitting beside Tigerclaw silently.

They waited in silence. Graypaw and Firepaw exchanged glances, no doubt worried about Ravenpaw. Tigerclaw sat motionless, apparently lost in his own thoughts.

Suddenly Firepaw jumped to his paws as the black cat leaped into the clearing, looking unusually pleased with himself. Dangling from his mouth was the long, diamond-patterned body of an adder.

"Ravenpaw! Are you okay?" Firepaw called.

"Hey!" meowed Graypaw, rushing forward to admire Ravenpaw's catch. "Did that bite you?"

"I was too quick for it!" Ravenpaw purred loudly. Then he caught Tigerclaw's eye and fell silent.

Tigerclaw fixed all three excited apprentices with a cold stare. "Come on," he said shortly. "Let's collect the rest of your prey and get back to camp."

 **...**

The four apprentices entered the camp, strolling behind Tigerclaw. Their impressive day's catch hung from their mouths, although Ravenpaw kept tripping over his dead snake. As they emerged from the gorse tunnel into the camp, a group of young kits scrambled out of the nursery to watch them pass.

"Look!" Flamepaw heard Brackenkit say. "Apprentices, just back from hunting!" Sitting next to him was his sister Cinderkit. Swiftkit and Brightkit stood beside them.

"Isn't that the kittypet, Firepaw?" she heard Cinderkit squeak.

"Yeah! Look at his orange fur!" mewed Swiftkit.

"They say he's a good hunter," Brightkit added. "He looks a bit like Lionheart. Do you suppose he's as good as him?"

"I can't wait to start my training," mewed Brackenkit. "I'm going to be the best warrior ThunderClan has ever seen!"

Flamepaw couldn't help but purr in amusement and followed the others to the center of the clearing.

"An adder!" Graypaw mewed again, as the apprenticed dropped their catch for the other cats to share.

"What shall I do with it?" asked Ravenpaw, sniffing the snake's long body as it lay beside the heap.

"Can you eat adders?" asked Graypaw.

"Trust you to think of your stomach!" Firepaw joked, butting Graypaw with his head.

"Well, I wouldn't want to eat it," murmured Ravenpaw. "I mean my mouth tastes pretty foul after carrying it back."

"Let's put it on the tree stump, then," suggested Graypaw, "so that Dustpaw and Sandpaw can see it when they get back."

Flamepaw watched then as the other apprentices took their share and the adder to their den. She then turned to the fresh-kill pile hesitantly before slowly choosing a sparrow and padding over to the tree stump to eat with her brother and his friends she herself had just finished eating and was now grooming her thin and patchy coat as she listened in on their conversation.

"But Sandpaw, Dustpaw, and Flamepaw are still the eldest apprentices," Ravenpaw was saying.

Firepaw nodded. "And this Gathering will be an important one. It'll be the first time the Clans have met since WindClan disappeared. No cat knows what ShadowClan is going to say about it."

Tigerclaw's low meow interrupted them. "You are right, youngster." The warrior had strolled up to them unnoticed. "By the way, Firepaw," he added smoothly, "Bluestar wants to see you."

She watched then as her brother looked up, startled.

"Now—if you can spare the time," Tigerclaw meowed.

Firepaw jumped up immediately and bounded off across the clearing toward Bluestar's den.

Flamepaw felt a prickle of unease but pushed it aside before returning to her grooming and couldn't help but flinch at her once thick, glossy, beautiful coat. She was dully aware of Tigerclaw saying something about that Bluestar wanted to talk to her brother because he had seen him sharing tongues with a kittypet.

"Flamepaw?" Tigerclaw meowed suddenly, making her look up at him, "Come with me," he commanded with a flick of his tail in her direction.

She nervously followed him then out of the camp and up the ravine. The dark tabby started to lead the way towards the Great Sycamore. She wondered what he could possibly want when the Great Sycamore came into view.

Tigerclaw then turned to look at her. "I don't trust Firepaw," he growled bluntly his eyes meeting hers.

She looked at him in surprise. "Is it because of what you saw today?" she asked and he nodded. "Don't let it get to you, Tigerclaw. Just give it time and he'll be a great warrior of ThunderClan one day," she murmured gently and looked up at the Great Sycamore.

Suddenly a thought crossed her mind and with a mischievous look at the senior warrior, she quickly crouched down. Bunching up her muscles, Flamepaw made a massive leap and somehow managed to jump halfway up the trunk of the Great Sycamore. She looked down then at Tigerclaw who was watching her with round yellow eyes. Quickly she started to climb nimbly like a squirrel and started to dart from branch to branch with blinding speed.

She soon found herself near the top and landed on a thick branch. She was barely out of breath and felt her paws burning with energy. Looking down, Flamepaw only saw the forest ground.

"Tigerclaw?" she called, uncertainly.

As if on queue, she heard a loud crunching noise followed by a loud yowl of surprise which was then followed by a loud crashing through the tree and a loud thump. Flamepaw quickly looked down to see the dark tabby sprawled on the ground groaning in pain.

"Tigerclaw!" she yowled in shock and started to leap from branch to branch down towards the ground. When she was at least four tail-lengths from the ground she leaped lightly onto the ground besides the senior warrior.

"Tigerclaw, are you alright?" she demanded, sniffing his fur for injuries.

"Yes," he snapped out angrily and sat up gingerly before standing up.

"Are you sure? Nothings broken is it?" she meowed still trying to check him for injuries.

"I said I'm fine!" he snarled, jerking away from her with a glare.

Flamepaw took a few steps back then, her eyes wide with shock at him. Never had Tigerclaw snapped at her like this. She then realized that he must have been embarrassed from the fall. She now looked away from him then and started to walk away with her head down low as she slinked away into the undergrowth.

She quickly then started to race through the forest. Her paws light and quick, falling in sync with each of her heartbeats. She smoothly curved her spine with each stride. She easily tucked in her hind legs close before thrusting herself flat again. She made sure to reach out with her forepaws a little farther before they touched the ground.

She pushed harder with every stride until she was aware of nothing but the steady thrumming of her paws and the way her breath fell in time with her pace. She was suddenly moving with ease, as though the wind were carrying her while the ground slid beneath her like air beneath a swallow's wings.

Flamepaw loved the way the wind seemed to weave through her fur as if it were sharing tongues with her. Welcoming her as if she had returned home from a hunting patrol. She soon came to the ravine and without breaking pause she ran into camp. Quickly she managed to slow down to a stop and walked over to the apprentice den, where she could see her brother talking with Ravenpaw and Graypaw.

"I wonder what the gathering will be like," mewed Ravenpaw.

"It'll be fantastic," Graypaw replied confidently. "I bet all the great warriors will be there. Clawface, Stonefur…"

Flamepaw couldn't help but let out an amused purr. "So I gather you three are going to the gathering?" she meowed and they nodded.

"Are you going?" Firepaw asked.

"You bet," she replied, her eyes glowing with excitement, "I can't wait to see the other Clans."

"Did you meet any of the great warriors," Graypaw demanded excitedly.

"Well, of course I have," she mewed, "you three better get some sleep since its going to be a long night."

 **...**

Flamepaw was standing beside Spottedleaf as they waited for Bluestar to give the signal. She now looked down the steep slope that led down into the clearing that was Fourtrees. The rich greenness of the woods had been bleached away by the cold light of the full moon, and the leaves of the trees glowed silver. She could never stop being awed by how Fourtrees looked at night.

"Look at all those cats down there!" hissed Ravenpaw under his breath.

"There's Crookedstar!" Graypaw hissed back." RiverClan's leader."

"Where?" Firepaw mewed, nudging Graypaw impatiently.

"That light-colored tabby, beside the Great Rock."

Flamepaw couldn't help but roll her eyes at the eager apprentices and felt someone jab her in the ribs gently. Turning her head she saw that it was Tigerclaw.

"What do you want?" she whispered under her breath so only he could hear.

"I want to apologize about earlier," the dark tabby whispered back, "I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I know you were trying to help. I was just…" he paused.

"Embarrassed," she mewed softly and he nodded looking down at his paws.

"It's alright, Tigerclaw. I forgive you," she murmured gently.

Suddenly, Bluestar stood, and, holding her tail high, flicked it from one side to the other. Then the ThunderClan cats rose as one and bounded through the bushes, down toward Fourtrees. Flamepaw ran alongside Tigerclaw, and could feel a thrill going through her as she raced beside her clanmates, feeling the wind rush through her ears.

She stopped with her clanmates on the edge of the clearing, outside the boundary of the oaks. Bluestar sniffed the air. Then she nodded and she along with her clanmates moved forward into the clearing.

Flamepaw looked around the clearing then, sniffing the air. She turned her head then and was startled when she heard someone calling her name. She looked up and saw the familiar blue-gray fur and torn ears of Stonefur.

"Hello, Stonefur," she mewed stiffly, bowing her head politely toward the warrior.

"How's the hunting going," the gray tom replied, his eyes glowing with mischief.

She couldn't help but purr with amusement and gave him a playful shove. "Like you didn't know," she murmured.

Stonefur purred and butted her gently in the shoulder.

"So how's prey running in RiverClan?" she asked.

The two talked for some time and joked a bit as well, when there was a loud yowl which signaled all the cats for quiet.

"Come sit with me," Stonefur mewed and nodding she followed him over to a spot where they could hear and see clearly.

Not long after they sat down, Mistyfoot, who was Stonefur's sister, came to sit with them. Flamepaw nodded towards the RiverClan queen in greeting and looked up at the Great Rock where Bluestar, Brokenstar, and Crookedstar stood. There was no sign of Tallstar. As the others gathered below the Great Rock, an unsettled murmuring rumbled in their throats.

"We can't start yet," yowled one voice above the noise. "Where are the WindClan representatives? We must wait until all the Clans are present."

On the rock, Bluestar stepped forward. Her gray fur almost glowed white in the moonlight. "Cats of all Clans, welcome," she meowed in a clear voice. "It is true that WindClan is not present, but Brokenstar wishes to speak anyway."

Brokenstar padded noiselessly up to stand beside Bluestar. He surveyed the crowd for a few moments, his orange eyes burning. They landed on her for a moment and she couldn't help but shuffle her paws nervously but never taking her eyes off of his before he looked away. Then he took a deep breath and began. "Friends, I come to speak you tonight about the needs of ShadowClan—"

But he was interrupted by raised, impatient voices from below.

"Where is Tallstar?" cried one.

"Where are the WindClan warriors?" yowled another.

Brokenstar stretched up to his full height and lashed his tail from side to side. "As the leader of ShadowClan, it is my right to address you here!" he growled in a voice full of menace. The crowd fell into an uneasy silence. Flamepaw could smell the acrid smell of fear all around the clearing.

Brokenstar yowled again. "We all know that the hard time of leaf-bare, and late newleaf, have left us with little prey in our hunting grounds. But we also know that WindClan, RiverClan, and ThunderClan lost many kits in the freezing weather that came so late this season. ShadowClan did not lose kits. We are hardened to the north cold wind. Our kits are stronger than yours from the moment they are born. And so we find ourselves with many mouths to feed, and so little prey to feed them."

The crowd, still silent, listened anxiously.

"The needs of ShadowClan are simple. In order to survive, we must increase are hunting territory. That is why I insist that you allow ShadowClan warriors to hunt in your territories."

A shocked but muted growl rippled through the crowd.

"Share our hunting grounds?" called the outraged voice of Tigerclaw.

"It is unprecedented!" cried Mosspelt. "The Clans have never shared hunting rights!"

"Should ShadowClan be punished because our kits thrive?" yowled Brokenstar from the Great Rock. "Do you want us to watch are young starve? You must share what you have with us."

"Must!" spat Smallear furiously from the back of the crowd.

"Must," repeated Brokenstar. "WindClan failed to understand this. In the end, we were forced to drive them from their territory."

Snarls of outrage burst from the crowd, but Brokenstar's caterwaul rang loud above them: "And, if we have to, we will drive you all from your hunting grounds in order to feed our hungry kits."

There was instant silence. Flamepaw sat there in complete amazement and felt Stonefur press his flank into her side comfortingly. Nearby, she heard a RiverClan apprentice start to mutter something, but he was quickly hushed by an elder.

Satisfied that he had every cat's attention, Brokenstar continued. "Each year, the Twolegs spoil more of our territory. At least one Clan must remain strong, if all the Clans are to survive. ShadowClan thrives while you all struggle. And there may come a time when you will need us to protect you."

"You doubt are strength?" hissed Tigerclaw. His pale eyes glared threateningly at the ShadowClan leader, and his powerful shoulders rippled with tension.

"I do not ask for your answer now." Brokenstar ignored the warrior's challenge. "You must each go away and consider my words. But bear this in mind: Would prefer to share your prey, or be driven out and left homeless and starving?"

Warriors, elders, and apprentices looked at one another in disbelief. Flamepaw couldn't help but feel frightened but not for herself, for her Clan. She turned then to look at Stonefur and she knew he was feeling the same thing for his own Clan. In the anxious pause that followed, Crookedstar stepped forward. "I have already agreed to allow ShadowClan some hunting rights in the river that runs through our territory," he meowed quietly, looking down on his Clan.

She could feel Stonefur stiffen beside her. Flamepaw watched then as horror and humiliation rippled through the RiverClan warriors at their leader's words.

"We were not consulted!" cried Rippleclaw, who was one of the RiverClan elders.

"I feel this is best for our Clan. For all the Clans," Crookedstar explained, his voice heavy with resignation. "There are plenty of fish in the river. It is better to share our prey than to spill blood fighting over it."

"And what of ThunderClan?" Smallear croaked. "Bluestar? Have you, too, agreed to this outrageous demand?"

Flamepaw felt a moment of relief as she saw Bluestar unwaveringly met the old tom's gaze. "I have made no agreement with Brokenstar except that I shall discuss his proposal with my Clan after the Gathering."

Brokenstar spoke up again, his rasping voice sounding arrogant and strong after Crookedstar's surrender. "I also bring news that is important to the safety of your kits. A ShadowClan cat has turned rogue and spurned the warrior code. We chased her out of our camp, but we do not know where she is now. She looks like a mangy old creature, but she has a bite like TigerClan."

Flamepaw immediately felt uneasy but she also felt anger. She herself knew that although Yellowfang could be bad-tempered, she was still a medicine cat. And medicine cats don't murder helpless kits.

"She is dangerous. I warn you—do not offer shelter to her. And"—Brokenstar paused dramatically—"until she is caught and killed, I urge you to keep a close eye on your kits."

Flamepaw suddenly heard a nervous growl rumble through the ThunderClan warriors and she knew that they also have thought of Yellowfang.

The ShadowClan warriors began to push their way out of the throng of cats. Brokenstar leaped down from the rock, and his warriors immediately surrounded him and escorted him away from Fourtrees, back into ShadowClan territory. But before he disappeared he turned and his burning orange eyes looked back into her own for a moment, as if he was searching for something in them. The remaining ShadowClan cats followed quickly behind. Flamepaw couldn't help but notice that the ShadowClan apprentices all looked tiny and undernourished, more like kits of three or four moons than full-fledged apprentices.

She turned to Stonefur then and saw a grave look in his eyes. "Well I guess this Gathering is over. I hope to see you at the next one," she mewed softly.

The gray warrior looked down at her then and his gaze softened, "I hope so too, Flamepaw," he replied gently and touched his nose to her ear before making his way over to his clanmates.

She quickly made her way over to the ThunderClan cats and heard Darkstripe hiss, "I told you she was a danger to us. Bluestar has to listen to reason now and get rid of her before she harms any of our young!"

Tigerclaw suddenly strode up to her side. "We must return to camp at once and deal with this rogue!" he yowled.


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, only Flamepaw and the minor plot differences.**

* * *

 **~Chapter Seven~**

Flamepaw was running right beside Tigerclaw and Darkstripe as they made their way towards camp. The rest of ThunderClan ran with them. She truly couldn't see Yellowfang killing or harming innocent kits since she was a medicine cat. With these thoughts in mind she tried to tune out the yowls of her angry clanmates and the scent of anger and aggression.

Finally they came to the ravine and she raced down and into the clearing without a pause. She had ended up walking through the gorse tunnel with Frostfur and Willowpelt. Frostfur raced away immediately and ran toward the nursery, the fur on her tail bristling in alarm. Flamepaw heard the rest of her clanmates rushing though the gorse tunnel behind her.

The cats that had stayed behind started to wake. It would seem that they had scented the aggression and heard the tension in the voices of the returning cats, for they all came running into the clearing, their tails held high.

Longtail had appeared at her side then as Runningwind called, "What has happened?"

"Brokenstar has demanded hunting rights for ShadowClan in our territory!" replied Longtail loudly enough for all cats to hear.

"And he warned us about a rogue cat who will harm our kits!" added Willowpelt. "It must be Yellowfang!"

Meows of anger and distress rose from the crowd.

"Silence!" ordered Bluestar, leaping onto the Highrock. Instinctively, the cats settled in front of her.

A loud screech made every cat turn its head toward the fallen tree where the elders slept. Tigerclaw and Darkstripe were dragging Yellowfang roughly from her nest. She shrieked furiously as they hauled her into the clearing and dumped her in front of the Highrock. Flamepaw immediately lept to her feet in anger but was stopped when she felt a light touch on her shoulder.

Looking up she met the familiar blue eyes of Whitestorm. "Calm down, Flamepaw," he murmured gently, "let Bluestar deal with this."

"What is going on?" demanded Bluestar, jumping down from the Highrock and glaring at her warriors. "I gave no order to attack our prisoner."

Tigerclaw and Darkstripe instantly let go of Yellowfang, who crouched in the dust, hissing and spitting.

Frostfur appeared from the nursery and pushed her way through to the front of the Clan. "We got back in time," she meowed with a gasp. "The kits are safe!"

"Of course they are!" snapped Bluestar.

Frostfur seemed taken aback. "But…you are going to throw Yellowfang out, aren't you?" she meowed, her blue eyes wide.

"Throw her out?" spat Darkstripe, unleashing his claws. "We should kill her now!"

Bluestar fixed her piercing blue eyes on Darkstripe's angry face. "And what has she done?" she asked with icy calm.

"You were at the Gathering! Brokenstar said she—" Darkstripe began.

"Brokenstar said only that there is a rogue somewhere in the woods," meowed Bluestar, her voce menacingly quiet. "He did not mention Yellowfang by name. The kits are safe. For as long as she is in my Clan, Yellowfang will not be harmed in any way."

Bluestar's words were met with silence and Flamepaw felt nothing but relief.

Yellowfang looked up at Bluestar and narrowed her eyes respectively. "I will leave now, if you wish it, Bluestar."

"There is no need," replied Bluestar. "You have done nothing wrong. You will be safe here." The ThunderClan leader lifted her gaze to the crowd of cats that surrounded Yellowfang and meowed, "It is time we discussed the real threat to are Clan: Brokenstar. We have already begun to prepare for an attack by ShadowClan," Bluestar began. "We'll carry on with those preparations, and patrol our borders more frequently. WindClan has gone. RiverClan has given hunting rights to ShadowClan warriors. ThunderClan stands alone against Brokenstar."

A murmur of defiance rippled through her clanmates and Flamepaw felt relieved.

"Then we're not going to agree to Brokenstar's demands?" meowed Tigerclaw.

"Clans have never shared hunting rights before," Bluestar answered. "They have always managed to support themselves in their own territories. There is no reason why this should change." Tigerclaw nodded approvingly.

"But can we defend ourselves against a ShadowClan attack?" asked Smallear's tremulous voice. "WindClan didn't manage it! RiverClan won't even try!"

Bluestar met his old eyes with her steady gaze. "We must try. We will not give up our territory without a fight."

Flamepaw nodded in agreement along with the rest of her clanmates.

"I shall travel to the Moonstone tomorrow," Bluestar announced. "The warriors of StarClan will give me the strength I need to lead ThunderClan through this dark time. You must all get some rest. We have a lot to do when daylight comes. I wish to talk with Lionheart now." Without another word, she turned and strode towards her den.

She could make out the silhouettes of the two warriors inside Bluestar's den talking urgently. She now turned away then was making her way towards the medicine den when Lionheart approached her.

"It would seem Bluestar wants you to join her on her journey tomorrow along with some of the other apprentices," the golden warrior meowed.

"Really?" she replied in amazement and he nodded.

"You better go tell your mentor and get your own traveling herbs," he murmured.

Nodding, she raced across the clearing and into the medicine den. Quickly she explained to Spottedleaf that she was going to the Moonstone with Bluestar and some of the other apprentices and started to help ready the traveling herbs.

It wasn't long before Firepaw and Graypaw strode through the fern tunnel. "You have come for some traveling herbs," Spottedleaf meowed.

"Yes, please," Firepaw answered. "And I think Yellowfang needs more poppy seeds. She seemed to be feeling her wounds."

"I will take her some after you have gone. And your traveling herbs are ready."

Her mentor indicated the neat leaf wrapped pile she had readied. "Enough for the three of you. The dark green herb will stop your hungry pains during the journey. The other will give you strength. Eat them both just before you leave. They're not as good as fresh prey, but the taste won't last long."

"Thanks, Spottedleaf," mewed Firepaw.

Flamepaw herself had curled up in her nest and had closed her eyes by the time she heard Spottedleaf call, "Good luck! Travel safely."

 **...**

Daylight was seeping in through the thick canopy of the medicine clearing as Flamepaw woke up. Sitting up she stretched and started to groom her patchy pelt. Once satisfied that it was as good as she could get it, she stood up and ate the bundle of traveling herbs she had left beside her nest. Wincing at the foul taste, she stood up and trotted out of the fern tunnel and walked across the clearing to where Bluestar had seated herself.

Nodding towards the old gray she-cat, Flamepaw sat beside her and neatly curled her tail around her paws. She looked around the clearing then as the sky glowed with a new dawn, and dew sparkled on the ferns. It wasn't long before Tigerclaw approached them after rousing the apprentices and sat beside her. A few moments later, she saw her brother, Graypaw and Ravenpaw approach them.

She along with Bluestar and Tigerclaw watched them as the three apprentices ate their traveling herbs. The rest of the camp was still asleep.

"Ugh!" complained Graypaw. I knew they'd be bitter. Why couldn't we eat a fat, juicy mouse instead?"

"These herbs will keep your hunger at bay longer," answered Bluestar. "And they will make you strong. We have a long journey ahead of us."

"Have you eaten yours already?" Firepaw asked.

"I cannot eat if I'm going to share dreams with StarClan at the Moonstone tonight," replied Bluestar.

Firepaw then turned to her, "What about you?" he asked.

"I already had mine," she meowed.

With that they made their way out of the gorse tunnel and out of camp.

Lionheart was just returning with a patrol. "Safe journey," he meowed.

Bluestar nodded. "I know I can trust you to keep the camp safe," she answered.

Lionheart looked at Graypaw and dipped his head. "Remember," he meowed, "you are almost a warrior. Don't forget what I have taught you."

Graypaw looked back at Lionheart with affection. "I will always remember, Lionheart," he mewed, nudging his head against the tabby's broad golden flank.

The great golden warrior then looked at her then his green gaze gentle and nodded to her with deep respect. "Let StarClan light your path, Flamepaw," he meowed.

A purr rumbled deep within her throat at that and gently pressed her nose to his cheek. "Thank you, Lionheart," she murmured softly.

 **...**

It wasn't long before they reached the slope that led into WindClan territory. They soon paused at the top. Ahead, the ground flattened out into a wide plateau. The wind blew in a steady gust that rippled the grass and bent the trees. The soil was stony, and outcroppings of bare rock dotted the landscape here and there.

The air still carried the scents of WindClan, but they were stale. Much fresher, and more alarming, were the pungent markings of ShadowClan warriors.

"All Clans are entitled to safe passage to the Moonstone, but ShadowClan seems to have no respect for the warrior code anymore, so be alert," warned Bluestar. "We mustn't hunt outside our territory, though. We'll follow the warrior code, even if ShadowClan doesn't."

They set off across the plateau as the sun rose into the sky, following the tracks into the heather. Flamepaw felt free all of a sudden. As if the canopy of the trees had been a prison. She felt as if she could run forever.

Suddenly Tigerclaw stopped dead. "Watch out!" he hissed. "I smell a ShadowClan patrol."

She along with the others sniffed the air, and she could definitely smell ShadowClan warriors.

"They are upwind. They won't know we are here if we keep moving," meowed Bluestar. "But we must hurry. If they move ahead they'll detect us. It's not far to the edge of WindClan territory now."

They moved on quickly, leaping over rocks, pushing their way through the sweet smelling heather. Gradually, the scent of the ShadowClan warriors grew fainter and fainter. Finally they reached the reached the end of the uplands.

Flamepaw found herself walking faster the closer they got. She was easily keeping up with Bluestar and Tigerclaw. She matched them step for step.

"Is that the Thunderpath?" she heard her brother ask.

"Yes," replied Graypaw. "It runs through ShadowClan territory. Can you see Highstones behind it?"

There was a pause before, "Do we have to cross the Thunderpath?"

"Yep," mewed Graypaw.

"Come on!" Bluestar meowed. She bounded forward. "We can be there by moonrise as long as we keep up the pace."

They soon left WindClan territory behind them. Keeping near the hedges, they walked on. The cats skirted a Twoleg nest. It stood on a wide expanse of hard white stone, with smaller nests round the edges. Keeping low, they crept past the fence that surrounded the white stone. Suddenly, there was a barrage of barking and snarling which made them spin around.

Flamepaw saw her brother's fur had started bristling and his back was arched. She knew the same thought had crossed his mind also. Dogs!

Tigerclaw peered through the fence. "It's all right. They're tied up!" he hissed.

It wasn't long before an unseen Twoleg silenced them. The cats moved on.

The sun was starting to sink by the time they reached the Thunderpath. Bluestar signaled them to stop and wait beneath a hedge. Flamepaw silently watched then as monsters roared to and fro in front of her and tried not to retch at the revolting fumes that stung her eyes and throat.

"We'll go one at a time," meowed Tigerclaw. "Ravenpaw, you first."

"No, Tigerclaw," Bluestar interrupted. "I shall go first. Don't forget, this will be the first time of crossing for the younger apprentices. Let them see how it is done."

Flamepaw silently watched then as the ThunderClan looked up and down the Thunderpath as she padded up to the edge. She waited calmly as one monster after another flew past her, ruffling her fur. Then, when the earsplitting roar paused for a moment, she raced across to the other side.

"Of you go, Ravenpaw; now you've seen how it's done," meowed Tigerclaw.

Flamepaw saw the young tom's eyes widen with fear and could smell his fear scent. The small black cat crept forward to the edge of the road. It was quiet, but Ravenpaw hesitated.

"Go!" hissed Tigerclaw from the hedge. She saw Ravenpaw's muscles tighten then as he prepared to run. Suddenly, Flamepaw felt the ground tremble beneath her paws. A monster sped out of the distance and hurtled past. The black cat shrank back for a moment, then pelted over to join Bluestar. A monster coming in the other direction threw dust up where his paws had been just a heartbeat before.

Graypaw was lucky. A long lull let him cross safely. Now it was Firepaw's turn.

"Go on, then," growled Tigerclaw. Firepaw looked from Tigerclaw to the Thunderpath, and then walked out from under the hedge. She watched then as her brother waited at the edge. A monster was rushing toward him. Flamepaw suddenly felt terror grip her heart as the monster suddenly veered off the Thunderpath and was going straight for him!

"Firepaw!" she screeched and tried to leap towards her brother, but Tigerclaw pinned her to the ground.

"Are you mouse-brained!" he snarled. "You will become crow-food!"

"Better it be me than my own brother," she hissed, trying to break through his grip but he wouldn't budge.

"He's already safe across," the dark tabby growled, releasing her.

Leaping onto her paws, she whipped around and saw that Tigerclaw was right. He was safe.

"Thank StarClan," she whispered in relief.

"We'll go together," Tigerclaw replied and she nodded.

Together they darted across the Thunderpath to join the others.

"Twolegs!" he spat as he arrived on the other side with her on his tail.

"Do you want to rest before we go on?" Bluestar asked Firepaw as Flamepaw ran to her brother's side sniffing his pelt frantically for injuries.

Firepaw looked up. "No," he answered. "I'm okay."

She looked at her brother who gently licked her ear to show that he was alright and leaped to his feet.

The cats carried on, with Bluestar in the lead. As they approached the foot of Highstones, the grass gave way to bare, rocky soil, dotted with patches of heather. The land sloped up now, toward the sky. Craggy rocks topped the slope, blazing orange in the sun.

Bluestar stopped once more. She chose a sun-warmed rock to sit upon, flat and wide enough for all of them to rest side by side.

"Look," she meowed, tilting her nose toward the dark slope before them. "Mothermouth."

Flamepaw sat there silently then as the sun gradually dropped behind Highstones, and she could make out the cave entrance which was a square black hole that yawned before them darkly below the stone archway.

"We'll wait here until the moon is higher," meowed Bluestar. "You should hunt if you are hungry and then get some rest."

She herself decided not to hunt and sat beside her leader silently, staring unblinkingly at the tunnel entrance. She had watched as the other apprentices and Tigerclaw disappeared into the undergrowth. When they returned they had brought back plenty of fresh-kill and had a feast although none of them talked much.

It wasn't long before Tigerclaw sat beside her and pressed his warm flank against her. She nodded towards him silently before looking once more unblinkingly towards Mothermouth. It was when the warmth had seeped out of the rock they were sitting on and cold shadows reached up on all sides that the ThunderClan leader spoke.

"Come. It is time."


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: Unfortunately this is a shorter chapter, but never the less... R &R**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, only Flamepaw and the minor plot differences.**

* * *

 **~Chapter Eight~**

Bluestar stood and began to pad toward Mothermouth with her trailing behind her leader. Tigerclaw had taken to walk on Bluestar's other side, matching her stride step for step.

"Come on, Ravenpaw!" she heard Graypaw call out

It only took them a few moments to reach Mothermouth. Flamepaw stood on the threshold along with the others. She noticed how her brother seemed to be curious while Graypaw and Ravenpaw seemed nervous. Even Tigerclaw seemed unsettled by the black hole ahead of them. "How will we find our way in such darkness?" he asked.

"I will know the way. And so will Flamepaw," answered Bluestar. "Just follow our scent. Ravenpaw and Graypaw, you will remain on guard outside. Firepaw, you will accompany me, Flamepaw and Tigerclaw to the Moonstone."

Flamepaw could see that her brother was excited, but she could tell that even though Tigerclaw had his chin boldly raised he was afraid and she didn't need to smell his fear scent to know. Bluestar then walked forward and she followed her leader without a pause. Tigerclaw and Firepaw followed close behind her.

Flamepaw walked the familiar twisting and turning path of the tunnel. She soon could smell the familiar heather scented air and knew that they had reached the cavern. She walked into the open space then and turned and walked a few steps along the wall of the cavern before stopping and turning to face forward again and sat down. It was then that someone spoke. "Where are we?" Firepaw asked.

"We have entered the cavern of the Moonstone," came Bluestar's soft reply. "Wait here. It will be moonhigh soon."

Flamepaw could hear the calm gentle breathing of her brother and Bluestar, but she could also hear the more rapid, fear-scented panting of Tigerclaw.

Suddenly the familiar blind white light of the moon came through the hole in the cavern and brought the Moonstone to life. Flamepaw looked down then at her pelt and saw that it had been turned into a brilliant silver. She looked up then and saw Bluestar who was staring upward, and saw that her fur had been bleached white in the glow of the Moonstone. Even Tigerclaw's dark pelt shone silver.

Flamepaw could smell Tigerclaw's fear-scent growing, until it became overpowering. She saw the dark tabby warrior's eyes meet hers and saw his eyes which had been filled with fear, widen in amazement instead as he saw her pelt which glowed silver in the light shining from the hole in the roof above. She then saw him give her an apologetic look before turning and fleeing past her brother into the tunnel towards the entrance.

"Firepaw?" Bluestar's voice was quiet and calm.

"I'm still here," he answered nervously.

After a moment he spoke again. "Bluestar?" Firepaw mewed again when she didn't answer.

"It is all right, young warrior; don't be afraid," Bluestar murmured. "I think Tigerclaw was surprised by the power of the Moonstone. In the world above, Tigerclaw is a fearless and mighty warrior, but down here, where the spirits of StarClan speak, a cat needs a different kind of strength. What do you feel, Firepaw?"

After a moment he answered. "Only my own curiosity," he admitted.

"That is good," Bluestar replied.

Flamepaw looked at her leader then who nodded towards her and together the two of them walked forward, side by side before the Moonstone. Once the reached the Moonstone they both crouched beside it before touching their noses to its cold surface. Immediately, Flamepaw felt the familiar coldness grip her body and forced her into a deep sleep.

She felt as if she had been lying there for barely a heartbeat before she no longer felt cold stone seeping into her fur but soft grass. Opening her eyes, Flamepaw looked around then and realized she was in ThunderClan territory near Sunningrocks. Suddenly, she heard approaching pawsteps and turned to see a familiar speckled gray tom with pale blue eyes slink out of the undergrowth.

She quickly bowed her head in respect. "Greetings, Goosefeather," she meowed to the old ThunderClan medicine cat who was actually Bluestar's uncle.

The old tom nodded towards her with the same respect. "It's good to see you again, Flamepaw. You are almost ready to become a full medicine cat, but I'm afraid you aren't destined to be ThunderClan's next medicine cat," he replied sadly.

"What do you mean," she demanded. "Being a medicine cat was all I wanted to do! I've done nothing but trained to be a medicine cat."

The speckled gray tom sighed heavily. "I know," he mewed heavily, "but you will be a full medicine cat for a while before having to give up being a medicine cat."

Sighing in defeat Flamepaw murmured, "When?"

"You will know when the time comes," the old medicine cat said. "Now follow me. There is something you must see."

The orange and white medicine cat apprentice followed confidently after the StarClan cat and soon they came to the ravine. They strode through the gorse tunnel and padded over to the nursery. Goosefeather nodded towards her to go in and she pushed her way into the nursery to find it was empty except for one nest that was occupied by a queen.

Suddenly, the queen looked up and Flamepaw hissed in surprise to find that the queen was herself and stepped back a couple of steps. After a few moments she hesitantly walked forward and looked into the nest to find four tiny kits curled up in the moss. It was unfortunately to dark to see their fur color.

"These kits will become great warriors for ThunderClan," Goosefeather mewed.

"When will this be?" she murmured softly, without taking her eyes off her future kits. It was strange feeling the mother within her come out even if the kits weren't born yet.

"Not for some time," the old cat replied. "Now you must go. Your Clan is in danger."

With those words darkness swam around her and she let the darkness swallow her up with the thought of who her future kit's father would be. Flamepaw awoke a few moments before Bluestar and slowly she sat up and arched her back.

Suddenly, she remembered what Goosefeather had said before the darkness took her. ThunderClan was in danger.

"Firepaw? Flamepaw? Are you two still there?" Her leader's voice sounded remote and agitated.

"Yes, Bluestar." She heard the old she-cat's pawsteps going in the direction of the cave entrance and Firepaw. Flamepaw quickly followed.

"Hurry," Bluestar hissed, pushing past Firepaw. "We must return to camp."

Flamepaw managed to squeeze past her brother, before he followed and raced after her leader through the blackness. She felt the familiar path twisting and turning and going up and up. Up towards the outside world.

 **...**

Tigerclaw and the other apprentices were waiting for them at the opening of Mothermouth as they came rushing through the cave entrance. Flamepaw turned her gaze towards Tigerclaw and saw that his expression was cold and his fur was slightly ruffled, but he sat motionless and dignified.

"Tigerclaw." Bluestar greeted him but did not mention the warrior's flight from the depths.

Tigerclaw relaxed a little. "What did you learn?"

"We must return to camp immediately," Bluestar meowed briefly.

Flamepaw suddenly felt a strange sensation prickle through her and she found herself no longer at Highstones. She found herself back at camp and felt herself freeze in terror as she watched shadowy, dark warriors attack her clanmates. Soon the clearing was covered in blood and tufts of fur. As she watched, she saw her clanmates collapse under the weight of the shadow warriors. "Dark times are coming, Flamepaw," she heard the familiar voice of Redtail reply. "It is time to choose where you stand. With the darkness that fights for bloodshed and death or against it. You can only be with one but not the other." The scent of blood was overpowering and was now seeping into her fur and climbing till it filled her nose and mouth. "The darkness will take you, Flamepaw," Goosefeather meowed into her ear. "But you mustn't let it win. Fight it."

"Flamepaw!"

Quickly she snapped out of her terrifying vision to find Tigerclaw and the others looking at her in worry.

"What did you see, Flamepaw," Bluestar demanded. The old ThunderClan leader's eyes seemed to pierce through her pelt all the way to her soul.

"Blood," she whispered, "and death." She looked at Bluestar then and said, "We need to get back to camp immediately!"


End file.
